GETZVILLE, N.Y. — Doug Reed, a senior pastor at the Tabernacle in Orchard Park was among those on that ten-day pilgrimage in Jerusalem.
Saturday morning, he boarded his flight back home with other Buffalonians.
"We get in the air and all we know is that a few rockets had gone off and then four hours later, we land in Munich. We open up our phones back to the world and oh my goodness, we were one of the last flights out. The airport shut down, flights were delayed," Reed said.
Some other flights were eventually able to get out later in the day, but Reed says some of the religious leaders who were on the trip from Europe had to take cover in bomb shelters.
Among those stuck there is the Tabernacle's senior leader who is with his sons.
Prominent Buffalo attorney Steve Cohen and his family were also in Israel taking shelter.
His son posted on social media they have gotten to safety in Dubai.
But it seems as though many in Buffalo know someone who is either there, missing, injured or killed.
"Israel is a very small country and the Jewish community in Buffalo is very small relative to the general population. We think there are about 10,000 Jews living in Buffalo. But everyone knows someone who knows someone," said Rob Goldberg, CEO of the Buffalo Jewish Federation.
"For me, it was personal because I have lots of friends that're there. People that I've built relationships with. it's not just a war over there. it's my friends kids are on the frontlines, my friends are being called up to serve in the military," Reed said.
It's why the Buffalo Jewish Federation, Jewish Community Center and the Buffalo Board of Rabbis and Cantors are bringing the Jewish community and anyone who wants to support them together at a vigil.
"We're really this one Jewish family, one global Jewish family and it's very important for us to one in the states, gather, we collectively can mourn, collectively can pray for peace and can be there to support the families and the state of Israel that we love so dearly," Goldberg said.