The war in Israel is 5,700 miles away from New York, yet for many American Jews, the violence is as close as a phone call, text, or Facebook post.

It’s deeply personal, with close family connections.

“That’s the Israeli story,” said Assembly Member Nily Rozic (D-Queens), the first New York State Assembly member born in Israel. “Everyone knows someone who’s been impacted by what’s happened over the weekend.”

Rozic has cousins who have served in the Army, who currently serve in the Army, or are being called up as part of the reserves.

In the months leading up to the surprise attacks by Hamas, a terrorist organization, Israeli society had become increasingly divided over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s push to overhaul – and weaken – the nation’s judiciary. But according to Rozic, the attacks have had the effect of unifying Israelis and quashing the debate that had threatened to tear the country apart.

“I think whatever differences there were, or we had seen, this is the thing about Israelis, we are always united by this one question around our very survival. I’ve heard the response rates to calls to serve are more than 100%,” she told Capital Tonight.

Like other elected officials from both major parties in New York, Rozic condemned the pro-Palestinian rally attended by members of the Democratic Socialists of America in New York City over the weekend, a rally that competed with one in support of Israel.

“I think that all of these political extremists have really done us a favor in showing us and making clear who they really are. And if they defend Hamas, we cannot stand by them. Personally, I really can’t get over the mental gymnastics that it must take in order to justify supporting or standing by Hamas,” Rozic said.

She continued.

“If you murder civilians and children in cold blood, you do not get to claim the moral high ground, as they have tried to do.”