RICHMOND, Va. -- Halina Zimm stood next to Governor Glenn Youngkin (R - Virginia) as he signed legislation in May that formally defines antisemitism and directs the Commonwealth to take an active stand against it. Just five months later, Zimm sat in a synagogue listening to the governor repeat the same words she once told him.
“Hate is wrong, love is right,” Youngkin told a crowd gathered Monday night for a service at Keneseth Beth Israel in Richmond.
Several hundred, including Mayor Levar Stoney and other lawmakers, attended the ceremony to honor the men, women, and children who have died since the terrorist organization, Hamas, launched an attack in southern Israel on October 7.
The congregation also gathered to pray for those believed to be held hostage in Gaza.
Zimm said the images on television were difficult to see because they showed the most loss of life for the Jewish community since the Holocaust.
“When the war started in 1939, I was in Poland and all of these things are coming back,” Zimm said. “I see that, and it frightens me and I’m scared to see that. I lost my entire family. They all died in the concentration camps, so it was a very bad time and when I look out at all these people, thousands of them, and the Hamas, that breaks my heart. It hurts a lot.”
The governor called on the congregation to stand in unity to condemn acts of hate and to support those who are impacted.
He said fear and anger have gripped the community.
The governor gave an example of a young father who expressed fear that his wife and daughter would no longer be safe.
“This barbaric act of terror is a front to humanity,” Youngkin said. “Evil can never be allowed to find refuge. It must be condemned and confronted overwhelmingly.”
Youngkin said his administration is working closely with law enforcement to keep places of worship in the commonwealth safe. He’s also reached out to the Department of Education and universities to assure schools that hate speech, intimidation, and bullying would not be tolerated.
“The sentiment continues to be very clear, just absolute anguish. Another is anger, but really a real sense of fear here. We will not allow any kind of violence and there’s no room for hate and we’ll continue to condemn it and work to keep everyone safe.”
Zimm said she was grateful the governor stood in support of the Jewish community and hoped all Virginians would come together to stand up for peace and to bring light to the darkness.
“I hope sometime that things are going to get better,” Zimm said. Let’s hope so. We can’t lose hope. We can believe that tomorrow will be better, and I do believe it’s going to get better.”
The Jewish Community Federation of Richmond is supporting the Israel Emergency Fund and 100% of all donations made to the federation will be distributed to those impacted by the war.
For more information, visit jewishrichmond.org
