Kansas City's Jewish community paused Wednesday, Oct. 7, to mark three years since the Hamas attacks in Israel. The Oct. 7, 2023, attacks killed more than 1,200 people and led to the kidnapping of more than 250 others.

The weight remains.

Jay Lewis, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City, told KMBC the anniversary still carries deep meaning for the area's roughly 22,000 Jewish residents. Lewis was nine weeks into his role leading the Federation when the attacks occurred.

"It was sadness, confusion, but then mobilization and, just like every other Jewish leader for centuries, resilience," Lewis said.

Lewis compared the attacks' impact on Jewish Americans to Sept. 11, saying the day upended life for Jewish people worldwide. Three years later, he said the community is determined to do more than survive.

At Congregation B'nai Jehudah in Overland Park, painted rocks in the Mitzvah Garden commemorate the lives lost in the attacks. The congregation is located at 12320 Nall Ave.

Rabbi Emeritus Michael Zedek, who served B’nai Jehudah for 26 years, told KMBC he hopes the anniversary will someday represent a breakthrough toward a peaceful resolution between Israelis and Palestinians rather than a symbol of despair. Zedek said his pride in his Jewish identity has not wavered, adding that when people cause harm, it stems from a lack of understanding.

Across Israel on Wednesday, ceremonies took place at around 400 locations, beginning with a national moment of silence.

In the Mitzvah Garden, each painted rock sits for a life taken three years ago.