CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – As Charlotte’s Jewish community marks three years since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel, community members say safety and security are top of mind as they memorialize the somber day.
More than 1,000 people were killed and hundreds were taken hostage when Hamas gunmen stormed communities on Israel’s border with Gaza. The attack marks the single-deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.
In the three years since then, tens of thousands of Palestinian children, women and men have been killed in response in Israel’s war on Gaza. Much of Gaza has been destroyed, displacing most of its 2 million residents from their homes.
—> More: Israelis mourn Oct. 7 attack as Palestinians in Gaza languish in ruins of the war it sparked
Data shows incidents of antisemitism have gone up across the U.S. An FBI report said that in 2025, anti-Jewish incidents accounted for 63% of religion-motivated hate crime incidents.
Leaders with the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte in North Carolina say they’re also trying to combat a rise in antisemitism locally.
Since the attacks in 2023, the Charlotte group has worked to educate the community — while also working to keep people safe when they come together to pray.
“The attacks on October 7 were not simply thousands of miles away. It was something that Jews here in Charlotte felt,” said Adam Kolett, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Charlotte.
With photos of victims and candles on tables, people came to Shalom Park in Charlotte to mark the Oct. 7 attacks. Since then, Kolett says they’ve experienced hatred right on the Charlotte campus.
“We are going to do anything we need to in order to remain safe, be able to pray, be able to come together and celebrate and mourn together,” Kolett said. “So, if that means increasing security, if that’s needed, that’s what we’ll do.”
The federation said antisemitic signage containing Nazi imagery was discovered on Shalom Park property in January this year.
Kolett said they’ve relied on law enforcement of all levels to make sure people aren’t afraid to come to campus.
“The security apparatus in this country, the FBI, the local police department, everybody works really hard to keep us safe,” Kolett said.
The Charlotte federation also launched the “Outshine Hate” campaign to try and educate the community about Judaism.
“Why do some people have this age-old hatred of Jews? There’s historic reasons for that, and none of them make sense,” Kolett said. “But if we’re not educated about them, if we don’t talk about these things, then we can be confused about what we hear and what we see on social media.”
As they come together on this somber day, members of Charlotte’s Jewish community want people to know this is a day they won’t forget.
“We feel comforted by those who express understanding, by those who want to learn more about the Jewish community and about Israel,” Kolett said. “It’s also fine when we disagree passionately. What’s important is that we are all trying to move forward and create a safer tomorrow for everyone.”
—> Related: Scars from Oct. 7 fuel deep divisions over Netanyahu ahead of Israeli election
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