DES MOINES, IOWA — Monday marked one year since the Hamas terrorist attack in Israel, and for leaders in the Des Moines Jewish community, it doesn’t feel real.

“I feel like we’ve never left October 2023. It’s hard to believe we’re in October 2024. Still hostages, over 100 hostages being held, including Americans. And we need to keep our focus on them,” said Jarad Bernstein, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines. “And we need to keep our focus on making sure that Israelis, who live in the north of the country, in the south, are able to return to a safe and secure home.”

The Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines wanted to honor the more than 1,000 lives lost, those taken hostage, and call for unity in the state. At the statehouse on Monday evening, local rabbis and Bernstein spoke to a group of Jewish and non-Jewish people who stood in the rotunda. Around the crowd, posters were displayed describing heroic acts from Israeli soldiers, emergency responders and citizens on Oct. 7, 2023.

Blue and white battery-powered candles were given out to those who attended; and Bernstein asked the crowd to display them at home in the window where they could be seen.

One Jewish man from out of state stumbled across the ceremony by just touring the Iowa State Capitol. The posters and candles being set up were a welcome surprise for him.

“When I came to Iowa, I was thinking, It’s sad. I’m not going to have any support. I’m not going to have any Jewish people to be around. It’s just sad. And so I came up to the Capitol,” said Leo Dassa from Brookline in Boston. “…I couldn’t believe it. I ran back to my hotel, got in some nice clothes so I could actually enjoy it and I was just flabbergasted….it genuinely feels like home.”

Dassa lived in Israel for half of a decade when he was younger and his family moved him back to the United States’ East Coast. Dassa has family and friends in Israel serving in the military and fighting for the country.

Iowa Republicans and Democrats showed up in support of the local Jewish community. Governor Reynolds spoke briefly at the event. State lawmakers from both parties, Attorney General Brenna Bird, Iowa Democratic Party Chair Rita Hart, State Auditor Rob Sand and some members of Iowa’s federal delegation were in the crowd as well.

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