Montana Stands With Israel, One Year After Gruesome Terror Attacks

One year after the worst attack on Jewish civilians since the Holocaust we caught up with Bozeman Rabbi Chaim Bruk. This, as Governor Greg Gianforte (R-MT) declared from the steps of the capitol that "Montana stands with Israel."

Rabbi Chaim Bruk: "A year later, 101 hostages still being held by the sadistic Hamas terrorists. Israelis in the north, 70,000 of them still not home, because they have to watch out for the Hezbollah rockets- Houthi rockets from Yemen- Iranian ballistic missiles. But the good news is that the Jewish people are eternal. We just celebrated Rosh Hashanah. We celebrated our new year 5785 with joy, with serenity, with an upbeat, optimistic belief in the future. And we don't back down."

Montana Governor Gianforte remembered the lives lost in the October 7th terrorist attacks against Israel in a remembrance ceremony at the Montana capitol:

Gov. Gianforte: "One year ago today, under the cover of darkness, and in the quiet hours of the morning, innocent Israelis were brutally and ruthlessly attacked and killed. One year ago, people were enjoying a music festival, time with loved ones, and children were sleeping. The October 7 attack was the most vicious and deadliest act of violence against the Jews since the Holocaust. Barbaric Hamas terrorists brutally raided Israel- raping, torturing, and killing innocent Israelis, children, the elderly, and kidnapped others including American citizens."

The governor declared that Montana "stands with Israel" and that we must condemn anti-Semitism in any form.

Gov. Gianforte: "In the days after the Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, I ordered all flags to fly at half mast in memory of innocent lives lost. I also placed an Israeli flag outside my office, and it will remain there until every single hostage is returned...and today we will lower all flags that fly over Montana State buildings and grounds and assign solidarity with the State of Israel and our Jewish friends and neighbors. We will raise the Israeli flag as a symbol of our continued support for our strongest ally in the Middle East as they root out and destroy Hamas."

U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) also issued the following statement:

Today we pause to remember the horrific terror attack against our ally Israel one year ago. With funding and assistance from Iran, Hamas attacked Israel. They killed nearly 1,200 people, including 40 Americans. And they kidnapped hundreds more. The barbaric actions they took against the Jewish people are too horrific to even describe. This was the deadliest and darkest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

 Today let us remember and honor the lives lost, and the hostages who still need to be returned home. And to reaffirm that America must stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel. To Jewish people around the world, Shalom. We will never forget.

Full audio of our chat with Rabbi Chaim: