FORT WORTH, Texas — As the sun faded Thursday night and people streamed into Congregation Ahavath Sholom in Fort Worth, it became clear what hadn't yet faded was the memory of the 11 people, murdered in a synagogue 1,200 miles away.
"We've seen too much violence. We've seen too many tragedies," said Amber Roberson, who was one of the hundreds to come to the synagogue Thursday.
"We not only stand with them, but they are in our hearts and in our minds," Rabbi Andrew Bloom said of the tragedy. He spoke Thursday from the bema, which is the platform from which rabbis address the congregation. It was on that very bema Saturday that Bloom said he first learned of the massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue.
"We heard in the middle of services," he said. "We were actually reading from the Torah about the sanctity of life."
He knew at that moment the community would need healing. He just didn't realize how large that community would be. "All throughout the week, I've just been getting calls from complete strangers saying we're with you, we stand with you," Rabbi Bloom said.
So he made plans for a city-wide night of prayer, remembrance and unity. Fort Worth leaders, police and congregations of all faiths were on board.
Thursday night, so many people showed up that the service had to start late. The rabbi said there was a line of cars on Hulen waiting to get in. Many hundreds packed the synagogue, leaving it standing-room only.
Amber Roberson, a student at UT Arlington, said she felt compelled to come after her Jewish friend posted about the event on Facebook. "I knew we needed to get involved. And we couldn't just sit and look at it on Facebook and be glad it wasn't us," she said.
Rabbi Bloom knows healing will take time. "Unity, coming together will overcome the hate that is still out there," he said.
Nights like this leave him hopeful that we're closer than we might think.