LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Hundreds gathered in Louisville on Tuesday night to show solidarity to Israel as the country battles a war with Hamas.Â
But for one family, the support means much more.
"We're abroad not with our family, not with our friends. It's so hard to be away from everything you feel so helpless," Johnny Oron, visiting Louisville from Israel, said.
"In a school next to me I know a kid that unfortunately passed away. Life was stolen because he lived close to the border," Daniel Oron said.
Brothers Johnny and Daniel Oron should be home in Israel near Tel Aviv. But the war between Israel and Hamas broke out a day before their flight back home.
"I'm 18 years old I should be enlisting soon and just feeling like I'm not helping with this current situation is just horrible," Johnny Oron said.
On Tuesday, the Oron family found themselves in a crowd of hundreds, standing in solidarity with Israel at the Trager Family Jewish Community Center.
"We will never lose hope," one Rabbi said.
People from all over the city gathered and showed support for people helping in the war, including the Orons' father who is a surgeon and managed to get back to Israel.
"He's back, he's helping, he's doing a huge service to the country, and we hope to get back and do the same," Johnny Oron said.
While the rest of the Oron family tries to get back home to Israel, they are holding out hope for their home.
"It is horrible, but I am sure we will win. It will be a great loss but I am sure we will win," Daniel Oron said.
The event remained peaceful, with religious leaders from various denominations speaking.
At one point, a woman showed up on JCC property and chanted, "free, free, Palestine," referencing support for Palestinians in Gaza.
She was escorted off JCC's property and moved across the street to continue chanting with at least one other person.
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