Vigil in Madison planned for Sunday amid Israel unrest, police ramps up patrol

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - Jewish community leaders in Madison are planning a prayer vigil Sunday night after violent attacks on Israel.

“We are living on edge,” Alan Klugman, executive director of the Jewish Federation of Madison, told NBC15. “We are profoundly concerned about our friends and family.”

The vigil at Temple Beth El is planned for 7:30 p.m., according to Klugman. Organizers are still planning details of the event, as of Saturday night.

Klugman said, “We hope to know more in the next 24 hours. We have not been as fearful of an attack since the Yom Kippur War.”

The Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise and unprecedented attack on Israel Saturday morning. More than 200 Israelis have been killed according to Israel’s foreign ministry. Israeli forces launched air strikes in retaliation. More than 200 people in the Gaza Strip are dead, per Palestinian leaders. Death tolls are expected to rise.

Madison police officers will be on site to offer security at Sunday’s vigil, Klugman said.

Officers have already been advised to increase patrol around the synagogues in their districts. This was based on a note to all officers Saturday, according to MPD’s officer-in-charge.

Jewish communities observed Simchat Torah on Saturday, a day of celebration marking the start of the annual Torah reading cycle.

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