What began as a chat between a few Palo Alto neighbors evolved on Saturday into vigil that brought about 200 people of different faiths and backgrounds to Mitchell Park to support Israel and denounce the militant group Hamas.

The Oct. 21 event featured singing, praying and words of comfort and solidarity. This included speeches by several rabbis and pastors, songs from the Christian and Jewish traditions and a Hindu peace chant led by a member of the Hindu American Foundation.

The event was sparked by a recent conversation between Donna Griffit, a resident of Palo Verde, and Emma Cabaness, whose husband is Pastor Jack Cabaness of Covenant Presbyterian Church. Griffit, who is Jewish, told this publication that she was struggling to "hold it together" after the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, in which more than 1,000 Israeli residents were murdered and more than 150 kidnapped. When she was asked by Cabaness how she can help, Griffit replied, "Just be with us."

"It was just a neighborly conversation of, 'How can I support you?'" Griffit said.

Pastor Jack Cabaness, who led off the event, quoted Orthodox Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, who encouraged people of different faiths to light their own candles to collectively combat evil. Cabaness acknowledged the pain that the war in Israel is causing to both the Jewish and Palestinian communities and encouraged those in the audience to "reach out to all of our neighbors who are in pain.

"Tonight, may we each light our own flame and together help vanish some of the darkness of the world," he said.

His comments were followed by the singing of Psalm 23 by members of Covenant Presbyterian and, later in the program, the singing Oseh Shalom, a Jewish song and prayer for peace. Mayor Lydia Kou also addressed those in attendance and read a proclamation denouncing Hamas.

Rabbi David Booth of Congregation Kol Emeth said he has spoken to various relatives and friends in Israel after the attack. One friend talked about how everyone "has resolved to be together, that division in Israel had in an instant healed and suddenly everyone wanted to help one another." But while everyone he spoke to said they were OK, Booth suggested that the impact of the Hamas attack will be long-lasting.

"None of us are OK," Booth said. "Something has been broken in us that will take years, if we can ever, heal."

The Rev. Kaloma Smith, pastor at the University AME Zion Church, told the crowd that the candles they are holding are not a "moment of mourning" but rather a "standing of fighting" against terrorism and violence and a sign that the "people of this world — Blacks, Jews, Hindus, Muslims — are decent people and will stand for rights."

"I unequivocally denounce Hamas terrorism — no two sides about it," Smith said. "I unequivocally stand with my Jewish community in the city. I unequivocally am praying for my brothers and sisters in Israel. Because right now, as we light our candles tonight, we need to stand for something."

Palo Alto resident Sarah Benson-Konforty, who is from Jerusalem and who visits Israel three times per year, told this publication that she believes the event "represents the real Palo Alto that I always believed exists."

Earlier in the week, Benson-Konforty addressed the Palo Alto City Council to talk about the challenges that the Jewish community has been experiencing in the aftermath of the Hamas attack. Her comments were followed by a series of racist and antisemitic public comments in a coordinated "Zoom bomb" campaign.

She said she came to the vigil because she felt the need to "embrace, and be a part of, our unified community, which is a canvas of different cultures, nationalities and religions."

"This is the only way we can prevail as a community. And this is the only way we can win against evil," Benson-Konforty said.