Adventure, Florida. – Following October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks on israel, Many celebrities and politicians criticized the Jewish state for its response, rather than condemning the terrorists; However, one prominent figure has made an effort to counter this by standing up for what she believes in.
patricia heaton, The Emmy Award-winning star of shows, including “Everybody Loves Raymond” and “The Middle,” has been an outspoken advocate for Israel and the Jewish people. She discussed what inspired her to take action during a conversation with Fox News Digital that took place right before she received an award for her efforts from the Friends of the Magen David Adom of America (MDA), Israel's version of the Red Cross.
“I thought it was common knowledge that we all know the history of the Jewish people and especially the Holocaust, and it has never happened again; it has happened again, and I did not see the kind of outrage that I expected.” “And I don't know why, but I felt like I had to say something because what happened is outrageous,” Heaton said.
Heaton, who is Catholic, noted that she works in the entertainment field and has many Jewish friends, and she called them to check on them after October 7.
Actress Patricia Heaton receives an award from the Friends of the Magen David Adom of America for her work in support of Israel and the Jewish community at an event in Aventura, Florida, on December 11, 2024. (Carlos Shata)
“They said, 'You're the only person who has reached out to us, and we're really upset and scared,'” she recalled. “So I thought I needed to do something more.”
Heaton has since founded the October 7th Coalition (O7C), a non-profit organization that encourages Christians to support the Jewish community and stand against anti-Semitism.
The actress recently made her first trip to Israel, a short trip that included visits to Jerusalem, Capernaum and Kibbutz Nir Oz, which was the main target of the October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks. She described what it was like to be there during wartime.
“People there live their lives to the fullest. We could hear the sound of Iron Dome launching missiles from the sky. “When you hear the big bang, that's us, so you don't have to worry about that,” our guide said. “And we did,” Heaton recalls. “I heard big explosions and saw smoke coming from where the missiles were taken out. And yet everyone goes about their day.”
Heaton described a poignant moment at the Western Wall, where Jews from all walks of life unite in prayer.
“I think there was such an intensity at the Western Wall, because there won't be six degrees of separation on October 7th. Everyone knows someone very close to them who died or became a hostage. So there's an intensity there,” she said.
“But I felt a hope for peace, a hope that they would continue, that they would still be living life to the fullest.”
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Heaton plans to return to Israel in May on a trip and organize an O7C conference for Christian and Jewish women called Deborah Rising, named after the biblical Jewish leader who appears in the Book of Judges. The flight that is currently accepting applicants, It will include Christian And Jewish speakers.
In the entertainment industry, Heaton said the response to her work included a small amount of support, but “a much more vocal and anti-Israel backlash.”
“These people seem to be coming from a very emotional place that doesn't include any facts,” Heaton said. “Like the fact that Hamas attacked civilians without provocation and slaughtered them in the most horrific ways they could imagine. So they started a war they couldn't handle, and used their own people as shields. That's why there are civilian victims.”
“Israel does everything in its power to avoid civilian casualties… It is the only fighting force in the world that goes to the enemy and says this is where we come, this is where it happens, and this is where you can go.” “To be safe,” Heaton said. “However, these people in the entertainment industry easily ignore all these facts. I don't know why that is. I think it's probably good to be emotional.”
Other notable figures appearing on stage at the MDA event included award-winning actor Liev Schreiber and Israeli actress and model Moran Atias.
Actor Liev Schreiber speaks at Israel's Magen David Adom event in Aventura, Florida, on December 11, 2024. (Carlos Shata)
Schreiber discussed his Jewish background and read accounts of Magen David Adom workers who lost loved ones and served on the front lines in the wake of attacks by Hamas in southern Israel and Hezbollah in the north. He spoke of being in a “dark place” after October 7, and the rise of anti-Semitism that Jews have had to confront since then.
“When the room gets dark, turning on the light just helps,” Schreiber said.
This event honored men and women of all faiths who dedicate themselves to Magen David Adom, often putting their lives on the line to help others.
Former head of the Magen David Adom and the United Nations Ambassador Gilad Erdan He spoke to Fox News Digital during the event. Erdan talked about how Hamas opened fire on Israeli ambulances as they tried to help the victims on October 7.
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Erdan stressed that Hamas knows that it cannot win a war against the Israeli army, so it wants to harm as many civilians as possible in an attempt to spread fear and drive them away.
He added: “By strengthening the Magen David Adom, and making sure we are spread everywhere, we can save lives within minutes, and this is the best way to thwart our enemies' strategy.”
