More worry for Jewish Long Islanders in wake of Iran missile attack on Israel

Ronen Neutra was glued to the TV news Tuesday afternoon, watching with a father's worry as Iran launched missile after missile at Israel.

His son, Israeli tank commander Omer Neutra, has been held hostage by Hamas ever since that terrorist group attacked Israel on Oct. 7 of last year. Ronen Neutra was concerned, as he said, "Anything that happens in the Middle East can affect him."

Just then, an Israeli military spokesman came on the TV, and Neutra, of Plainview, hungry for any news, said he had to cut short his talk with a reporter.

Many in Long Island's Jewish community locked into news of the attacks, in which Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday. Israel’s air defenses intercepted many of the incoming missiles, though some landed in central and southern Israel, and injuries were few, officials said. 

Iran said it fired the missiles in retaliation for Israeli attacks that killed leaders of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and the Iranian military.

Israel vowed retaliation for Tuesday's attacks. 

Preparation for High Holy Days

For Long Islanders with ties to Israel, including civilian relatives who rushed into bomb shelters amid emergency sirens and warnings, the pain seemed to strike deeper on Tuesday. The missile attacks came as Jewish people were preparing for the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year that begins Wednesday evening, and which culminates in the holiest day of the year, Yom Kippur, when Jews fast, pray and ask repentance from God.

And they came almost a year after the Hamas attack on Israel last Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people, with some 250 others taken hostage, according to officials.

The Israeli military operation that followed has killed more than 41,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to Gaza's Hamas-run Health Ministry. Israel has drawn criticism from many countries for the extent of death, destruction and suffering since the Israel-Hamas war began.

Israel also is fighting Hezbollah, which, based in Lebanon, has been firing rockets into Israel since the Israel-Hamas war began. Israel has struck back, and more than 1,000 people have been killed in Lebanon since the conflict escalated less than two weeks ago, according to Lebanon’s Health Ministry. 

Tuesday on Long Island, calls, texts and emails lit up the phone of Rabbi Howard Buechler. They were from his congregants of the Dix Hills Jewish Center. He also was reaching out to relatives in Israel. Several of his nieces and nephews fight in the Israeli Defense Forces, he said.

He referred to a shooting attack in Tel Aviv on Tuesday that, according to The Associated Press, killed at least six people. "My niece was on the street, half a block away," he said. "Thank God she's OK."

He communicated with some family members Tuesday, and they said the waves of missile fire had ended and they were able to leave the shelters, he said.

"They say this has been a massive and frightening attack," the rabbi said. "The skies lit up all over the country."

Patrols to increase

Suffolk County police said they will increase patrols in the coming days, including around houses of worship, due to the upcoming religious holidays. Nassau County police also regularly increase patrols around the Jewish holidays, including checking in at houses of worship and monitoring the perimeter of buildings.

Mark Abramowitz said his worries stretch all the way from Israel to his hometown of Syosset.

"I have concerns right here. There have been antisemitic attacks all over," said Abramowitz, noting that he has relatives in Israel. 

Eric Post, Long Island regional director of the American Jewish Committee, said Israel has a right to defend itself from missiles and terrorist attacks. 

“We have to imagine while we live on Long Island, free largely from any violence, that Israel has been put on lockdown,” Post said. 

Despite the escalating tensions, the Jewish community of Long Island will still come together for the holidays, Buechler said.

"We have had a dark day, but we will celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, praying that we have a better future," Buechler said.

With John Asbury and AP

By Craig Schneider

craig.schneider@newsday.comScraigo

Craig Schneider is a Long Island native and Stony Brook University alumnus. He joined Newsday as a general assignment reporter in January 2018 after 20 years at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.