Local community members gather to demand release of hostages taken on October 7
GOLETA, Calif. – A local Santa Barbara resident with two family members currently being held hostage in Gaza since Oct. 7, Ilan Ben-Yehuda, addressed a community gathering Tuesday night about the ongoing crisis in the region and joined a demand for the release of hostages.
Those gathered for the event lit e-candles for the 241 people kidnapped during the Oct. 7 armed assault.
Thousands of people had been attending a desert rave at the time of the surprise attack near the border with the Gaza strip.
"They remind me of people in Santa Barbara," said Ben-Yehuda during the event. "They are sweet and they are lovely. I was just at the Santa Barbara Bowl watching Kenny Loggins do his final concert and Kenny Loggins starts that concert by saying 'You are all family to me even though we've never met'. And then, at the music's like best moment, when we are all feeling so connected, all I can imagine is people pouring over those walls and shooting everyone."
The event was sponsored by Congregation B'nai B'rith, the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara, Community Schul of Montecito and Santa Barbara, the Anti-Defamation League Santa Barbara/Tri-Counties, and Santa Barbara Hillel.
