Members of Calgary Jewish community say attacks in Israel hit close to home

Members of Calgary's Jewish community gathering at the Beth Tzedec synagogue Saturday had their hearts and heads in Israel, as images of the attacks in the southern part of the country by Hamas were shared across the media.

Members of Calgary's Jewish community gathering at the Beth Tzedec synagogue Saturday had their hearts and heads in Israel, as images of the attacks in the southern part of the country by Hamas were shared across the media.

Jerry Snukal has two children living in Israel as well as nine grandchildren.

"Two of my grandchildren have left the military already but they got called up this afternoon," Snukal said. "One's in intelligence and one's a combat soldier.  I and my children in Israel are worried about them.

"I spoke to my daughter as well," he said. "She lives in Tel Aviv. And she said that a building was bombed only a couple of blocks from her house and they've spent most of last 24 hours in this safe room they call it."

That safe room, he explained, was a concrete bunker of sorts built right into family homes.

"I don't think I've ever had a child who didn't live in a home with a safe room," he said. "And when my son built a house a few years ago, they put a safe room in there.