Arkansas Governor Hosts Shluchim for October 7 Remembrance

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders hosted local shluchim and Jewish community representatives at the Governor’s Mansion for “Arkansas Remembers – A Night of Remembrance for October 7th,” bringing together community leaders, elected officials, and supporters of Israel to commemorate the victims of the October 7 attacks and reaffirm their support for the Jewish people.

The day’s events began with a gathering at the Arkansas State Capitol hosted by the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, bringing together state officials, community leaders, and representatives of the Jewish and Israeli communities to commemorate October 7 and reaffirm their support for Israel.

Local shluchim and shluchos, including Rabbi Pinchas and Mrs. Esti Ciment and Rabbi Yosef and Mrs. Chaya Mushka Kramer, were also invited to participate.

Jason Rapert, president of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers and organizer of the event, opened the program by thanking Arkansas leaders and community members for gathering to remember the victims of October 7 and reaffirm their commitment to Israel and the Jewish people.

Harry Ehrenberg, representing the Jewish Federation of Arkansas, spoke on behalf of the Jewish community. He discussed Parshas Noach, the weekly parsha, and described how Arkansas’s Jewish community had responded to October 7 by supporting displaced Israelis, assisting the war effort, and strengthening community security.

Rabbi Pinchas Ciment, shliach in Little Rock, delivered the opening prayer and thanked Governor Sanders for her steadfast support of Israel. He also spoke about the Sheva Mitzvos Bnei Noach, connecting them to Parshas Noach and explaining how they teach the foundations of morality, justice, and peace for all humanity.

“Darkness is not gonna prevail, and light is going to put away the darkness,” Rabbi Ciment said.

Arkansas Secretary of State Cole Jester spoke about why Arkansas stands firmly with Israel despite the state’s relatively small Jewish population, citing common sense, moral clarity, and loyalty to friends.

“We know deep down in Arkansas, those that have been there for us, we will be there for them,” he said.

Governor Sanders thanked the organizers and community leaders, recalled her visit to Israel after October 7, and condemned the massacre and those who celebrated it. She also highlighted her father, U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and his longstanding commitment to Israel.

“In Arkansas, we make no apology for standing with our friends in Israel,” she said.

Ambassador Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the United States, had been expected to attend the Capitol gathering but was unable to do so because of his son Neria’s serious condition following a terrorist attack. Rabbi Ciment recited a Mi Shebeirach prayer for his recovery.

Ambassador Mike Huckabee also addressed the gathering, rejecting accusations that Israel was committing genocide or practicing apartheid, and speaking about Israel’s diverse society and humanitarian assistance. He urged those present to pray for the peace of Yerushalayim and continue supporting Israel.

“What we’re looking at today is a spiritual battle. Let us never forget it. It is the battle between heaven and hell, between light and darkness, between right and wrong,” he said.

Adi Farjon, Israeli Consul General to the Southwest United States, thanked Arkansas leaders for their support, including their efforts to confront antisemitism through legislation and education.

“The fight against antisemitism is not solely a Jewish issue. It is a test of whether a free society is willing to defend its own values,” she said.

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin urged those present to turn remembrance into action, emphasizing the importance of education and vigilance.

Following the Capitol gathering, the shluchim proceeded to the Governor’s Mansion for a reception and meet-and-greet. Rabbi Mendy and Mrs. Dobi Greisman, shluchim in Northwest Arkansas, joined them, representing the local Jewish community.

One particularly moving moment came when the group discovered that Governor Sanders had kept a pushka that Rabbi Yosef Kramer had previously given her.

“We were amazed and truly touched to see that the Governor had kept the pushka at the Mansion and had even prepared coins for us to give tzedakah,” Rabbi Kramer told Anash.org.

“The fact that she pointed it out to us and showed that she was still using it made the moment especially meaningful. We all gave tzedakah together.”

The meet-and-greet was followed by a reception in the Mansion’s reception hall, with Governor Sanders, First Gentleman Bryan Sanders, Ambassador Mike Huckabee, Israeli representatives, local rabbonim and shluchim, and Jewish community leaders. The Governor’s office ensured that all refreshments served at the event were fully kosher.

First Gentleman Bryan Sanders welcomed the guests and described Israel as the historical and spiritual homeland of the Jewish people.

“For thousands of years, the Jewish people have been under relentless attack by the forces of darkness. But G-d has not abandoned the Jewish people and neither will we,” he said.

Rabbi Pinchas Ciment again delivered the opening prayer at the reception and reinforced the call to keep the Sheva Mitzvos as the basis for moral life and the world.

Governor Sanders delivered a deeply personal address, recalling a childhood visit to Yad Vashem when, at age 11, she wrote in the visitors’ book, “Why didn’t somebody do something?” She connected that experience to the October 7 massacre and condemned those who excuse Hamas or call for America to abandon Israel.

“All it takes for evil to win is for good people to stand by and do nothing,” she said.

Ambassador Mike Huckabee spoke about the courage of Israelis who risked their lives to save others on October 7, Israel’s contributions to American technology, and his own experiences living through missile attacks in Israel.

An Israeli division commander and military representative addressed the gathering, recounting the chilling events of October 7 and emphasizing that Israel is actively confronting the threat.

“We are not waiting for somebody to do something. We are doing it,” he said.

Israeli Consul General Anat Sultan-Dadon participated in the presentation of a framed letter of appreciation to Ambassador Huckabee on behalf of Ambassador Yechiel Leiter and the State of Israel.

In her closing remarks, Governor Sanders urged attendees not to treat the commemoration as merely another event, but as a call to action.

“I want you to be renewed, encouraged, and go out and be the somebodies who do something,” she said.

Rabbi Ciment said he was moved by the Governor’s continued support for Israel and the local Jewish community.

“It was very moving to see Governor Sanders continuing her father’s tradition of steadfast support for both Israel and the local Jewish community. She understands the importance of turning words into action, and her call to action was a reminder that support must be expressed through deeds, not just words,” he told Anash.org.

The Governor’s office arranged for all refreshments to be fully kosher, allowing the Jewish guests to participate in the gathering with the appropriate accommodations.

“It was heartwarming to see so many people come together in support of our Holy Land and our People,” Rabbi Greisman said. “I was also truly grateful that, although most of the participants were not Jewish, the Governor’s office went the extra mile to ensure that all the refreshments were kosher. It certainly didn’t go unnoticed.”

A separate event at the Capitol marked a milestone in the production of Tamir interceptor missiles used by Israel’s Iron Dome defense system. R2S, a joint venture between Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Raytheon, marked the delivery of the first interceptors manufactured at its new facility in Camden, Arkansas.

The milestone represents an expansion of U.S.-based production of the interceptors used to defend Israeli communities against incoming threats.

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