More than fifteen thousand people filled Pearl Street for the largest Boulder Jewish Festival in the event’s more than 30-year history—transforming what was planned as a celebration of culture into an unforgettable expression of strength, solidarity, and healing. Exactly one week after a violent antisemitic terror attack targeted peaceful demonstrators at the same site, the Jewish community and its allies showed the world: we are still here, and we are not backing down.
The day began with a community welcome and powerful remarks from faith leaders, activists, and family members of hostages still held in Gaza. Among the featured speakers were:
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Rabbi Marc Soloway, Congregation Bonai Shalom
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Jonathan Lev, Executive Director of the Boulder JCC
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Susan Rona, Regional Director, ADL Mountain States
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Rachel Amaru and Bruce Shaffer, Co-Leads of Boulder Run for Their Lives
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Shany Klein, Founder of the Global Run for Their Lives initiative
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Omer Shachar, who led the June 1 walk targeted in the attack
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Maya Bajayo and Miri Kornfeld, Co-Leads of the Denver Run for Their Lives Initiative
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Rabbi Fred Greene, Congregation Har HaShem
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Moshe Lavi, brother-in-law of hostage Omri Miran
One of the most emotional moments of the day came as thousands marched arm in arm through the heart of Boulder in the weekly Run for Their Lives walk, honoring the 55 hostages still held in Gaza and showing the world that peaceful resistance will not be silenced. The walk, always planned as part of this year’s festival, took on even deeper meaning and urgency following last week’s attack. The crowd stretched for blocks, united by grief, determination, and an unshakable belief in the dignity of every human life.
The program opened with moving remarks from Rabbi Marc Soloway of Congregation Bonai Shalom. “Our lives have changed in this last week. We are hurt, sad, grieving, angry, and afraid. And yet we are deeply comforted by our resilience and the strength and love of this community, our beloved Jewish community, and the wider circles of friends, neighbors, faith leaders, and elected officials here and around the world. We feel seen and we feel loved, and the gratitude that we have is part of our healing.”
“Today, we showed the world what resilience looks like. What resistance looks like. What it means to be proudly, visibly Jewish in the face of fear and hatred. We gathered not only to share our culture and our joy—but to send a clear and unwavering message: Jew hate will not win; hate will not win,” said Jonathan Lev, Executive Director of the Boulder JCC. “What happened last week could have broken us. But instead, we came together. Stronger. Louder. More united than ever.”
“Our group doesn’t exist to solve the Middle East crisis, to end a war, or to change anyone’s mind about politics,” said Rachel Amaru, founder of Boulder Run for Their Lives. It exists because not enough people across the globe were horrified when 251 innocent people – women and children, grandparents and babies --were kidnapped from their beds or from safe rooms, some of which were set afire, and from a music festival where mostly young 20-somethings came to dance and forget the violence of the world for a short moment. The story of those kidnappings disappeared all too quickly from the media.” She continued, “That is why we walk. And it is why we will not stop walking until they are all home. We will not be deterred. We will keep praying with our feet. We will keep saying their names. And we will stand up to antisemitism when it rears its head here, in Israel, or anywhere else in the world.”
Susan Rona, Regional Director for ADL Mountain States, expressed, “Hatred towards Jews is not an abstraction—it is a clear and present danger to all of us. When we allow rhetoric that dehumanizes Jews to spread unchecked, when we normalize calls for violence against Jewish communities, when we fail to distinguish between legitimate criticism of a country or its government and antisemitic hate—this is the inevitable result. We need a new narrative of community to fight this hatred: not one defined by proximity, but one of shared responsibility—the daily decision to keep showing up for one another, as we are doing here today. That is the light in the darkness.”
The festival continued throughout the day with music, Israeli and Jewish food, interactive art, and booths from 35 community organizations. One of the most moving spaces was “Hostage Square,” where 55 empty chairs—each marked with the photo of a hostage—served as a solemn visual reminder of those still missing. Boulder and Denver Run for Their Lives, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, offered space for reflection and action.
Organizers worked closely with state and local law enforcement to ensure a safe, secure environment for all participants. There were no incidents, and the overwhelming turnout became a testament to the enduring spirit of the Boulder Jewish community.
The Boulder Jewish Festival is more than an event—it is a declaration: hate will not win.
More from Sunday’s Boulder Jewish Festival:
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Recordings: Opening Ceremony and Run For Their Lives walk and program