Thousands of people gathered for a celebration of culture and community at the Boulder Jewish Festival on Sunday, which was held exactly one week after an antisemitic terror attack took place on the Pearl Street Mall, injuring 15 people and a dog.
Returning to the Pearl Street Mall for its 30th year, the Boulder Jewish Festival, organized by the Boulder Jewish Community Center, brought in what the Boulder JCC is calling its largest-ever turnout, with an estimated 15,000 people attending throughout the day.
“It feels really important right now to come together to focus on love and healing and community,” Boulder resident and festival attendee Ari Brattin said. “There’s been so much hatred and darkness since Oct. 7, and especially after what happened here on June 1, just overcoming the fear to all come together in support, it makes me really proud to be Jewish and to be Jewish in Boulder, specifically.”
On June 1, a Molotov cocktail attack outside the Boulder County Courthouse on Pearl Street injured more than a dozen people who were participating in a weekly walk organized by Boulder’s chapter of the Run for Their Lives group, a national organization that calls for the release of hostages held by the Hamas terrorist group. Officials are calling it an antisemitic terror attack.
Boulder officials said at least four victims were sent to the Boulder Community Health hospital the day of the attack, and all had been transferred or discharged by that evening. The UCHealth burn unit was treating three patients as of Monday morning, according to a spokesperson. Police said no victims have died. No further information on the condition of the victims was readily available.
Boulder County’s district attorney on Thursday charged the suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian immigrant who officials say was living in the U.S. illegally, with 118 criminal counts, including attempted first-degree murder and first-degree assault. He also faces a federal hate crime charge.
On Sunday, there were extra safety and security measures at the Jewish festival. While people enjoyed music, food and festivities, dozens of police officers roamed the area and watched over crowds. Sniper rifles were set up on each side of the block, including on the roof of the courthouse.
A Boulder police officer keeps an eye on the crowd during a remembrance program(Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)The Boulder Jewish Festival was planned long before the attack in Boulder, and rather than cancel or postpone, organizers proceeded with a reimagined event to promote community healing and unity while honoring all impacted by the attack. It was a statement that the Jewish community would not back down in the face of hate.
“We are united in horror and pain over the attack that happened right here a week ago with people from our beloved community seriously injured and traumatized from what happened last week,” Boulder Rabbi Marc Soloway said to the crowd on Sunday.
Soloway acknowledged the pain of the attack, but also talked about gratitude, healing and hope.
“We’re sad, we’re grieving, we’re angry and we’re afraid,” he said. “But yet, we are deeply comforted … by our resilience and the strength and love of this community.”
The festival began at 11 a.m. Sunday, as Jewish community members gathered on a stage outside of the courthouse on Pearl Street for the blowing of the shofar, a type of musical horn often made from a ram’s horn. The community then joined in a hora dance, a group circle dance commonly held at Jewish weddings and celebrations. Neighbors, family and friends joined hands, formed circles and moved together, smiling and laughing, in a joyous celebration of one another. The crowd was also led through songs and prayers.
At noon, the crowd moved down a block to participate in and watch the weekly Run for Their Lives walk. Thousands of people joined in the walk that was targeted a week prior, holding signs and flags and advocating for the release of the hostages in Gaza.
As the crowd waited for everyone to return to the stage, part of the community spontaneously broke out singing Hatikvah, also known as “The Song of Hope,” which is the national anthem of Israel.
“We all just broke out in unison together,” Denver resident Maximillian Wolff said. “Nobody said to start it, and that was really beautiful. There’s so much darkness, and as Jewish people, and in the Tenakh (Hebrew Bible), we’re called to be the light to the world. So it’s nice to see us being a light for each other.
“Also, I hope this doesn’t get lost in the conversation that we really are just wanting peace.”
Run for Their Lives leaders from the Denver and Boulder chapters spoke to the crowd, along with Moshe Lavi, whose brother-in-law, Omri Miran, is a hostage in Gaza. The leaders called for the hostages to be released and read the name of each person still in Gaza.
Many faith leaders and activists also spoke to the crowd of people throughout the event. Jonathan Lev, the executive director of the Boulder Jewish Community Center, took time to honor the victims, witnesses, first responders, downtown Boulder businesses and community members who have shown strength and kindness.
“We are standing here in resilience, we are standing here in unity, we are standing here in joy,” Lev said. “Because that’s what today is about, celebrating who we are. Our culture, our music, our food, our spirit, and even as we continue to walk in solidarity for the hostages still in Gaza, we also walk for our right to gather safely and proudly as a Jewish community.”
Throughout the festival, there were vendors offering traditional Jewish cuisine, Jewish communal organizations hosting booths and community activities, there was an art and artisan market and live music and performances.
“This feels like the purest expression of Jewish joy,” Brattin said. “And to be able to enjoy food and art and music and not have it just be about politics and sadness, it’s really beautiful.”
Wolff said that, as a Jewish person, it was important for him to come to Boulder and be in unity with others at the festival.
“It feels good to look around and see so many people all standing in solidarity together and just calling for peace,” Wolff said.
Boulder resident David Ensign said he came to the Jewish festival to be with his community.
“I noticed everybody just clicking in different ways,” Ensign said. “When you look people in the eye, everyone kind of has a little bit more meaning behind the looks, because everyone’s sharing having been through something that is traumatic for the community,” Ensign said. “It isn’t something that is new to Boulder, we’ve had (tragedies), and I’ve always felt that I can usually rely on Boulder to be caring and take care of each other. That’s what I’m really wanting to do — is play my part as much as possible to try to help the community come together and get through this.”
Soliman, who is being held on $10 million bail, remains in custody. His preliminary hearing has been set for July 15.
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