ORLANDO, Fla. — Tensions in the Middle East continue to rise nearly a year after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Jewish New Year began Wednesday night

  • Security will be enhanced at Jewish places of worship during the High Holidays

  • Oct. 7 marks one year since Hamas attacked Israel 

Iran launched a series of missile attacks against Israel on Tuesday, Oct. 1, escalating the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East — one day before the start of the Jewish New Year.

The impacts are being felt across the world and in Central Florida.

Many Central Florida places of worship — like a Chabad, synagogue or center — have added security and law enforcement so community members can feel safe to celebrate the High Holidays such as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, albeit with heavy hearts.

While the fighting is overseas, the Central Florida Jewish community still feels the weight of war as members cope with uncertainty for their loved ones.

Chana Ben-Abraham, the head of Gotlib Jewish Academy, stays closely informed on what’s happening in the Middle East, as red alarms ping on her phone, alerting her to incoming rocket attacks in Israel.

An attack Tuesday night at a light rail station in Jaffa affected a family member as Inbar Segev, the mother of a 9-month-old, was shot and killed, Ben-Abraham said.

“In her 30s, married to a wonderful man that served in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) as well,” Chana explained. “They have a 9-month-old child that was with her when she was killed.”

The child was taken to the hospital, according to Ben-Abraham, who said her family held a funeral for the mother on Wednesday.

“They’ll be able to gather in some way or another as a family,” Ben-Abraham said. “I don’t even know what their plans can be. I can’t even imagine.”

Ben-Abraham, who not only is Jewish, but Iranian, said the constant tension has her always on edge.

“Whenever anything is happening in the world, we feel it, and we are impacted by some way,” she said.

Ben-Abraham said her grandparents fled Iran in the 1960s, when she said times got challenging for Jews in the country. However, she still has family in Israel and Iran.

For Ben-Abraham, it weighs heavy to see loved ones get drafted into another war at the start of the Jewish New Year.