Gainesville residents stood with students on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian demonstrations as the groups sparred last week over the controversial Israeli offensive against Gaza that ended Monday.
The 23-day Israeli offensive that resulted in the deaths of about 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis caused debate in Gainesville and abroad.
"I think it's important that we all support each other," said Rabbi Yoni Kaiser-Blueth of Hillel. "I've seen quite a bit of solidarity on this issue."
But Dennis Shuman, a Jewish supporter of Gaza who has lived in Israel, disagrees.
Jewish people support Israel simply because of their religion and culture, he said.
"Jews put on blinders," said Shuman, 62. "Sometimes, when it comes to family, it's 'my family, right or wrong.'"
Korin Weinstok, 24, community coordinator at Congregation B'nai Israel updates the Jewish community on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"I try to keep the community informed because I know that the press has a very specific point of view," said Weinstok. "All my e-mail updates come from official and reliable sources such as the Israeli Embassy."
Israel completed its objectives in Gaza and agreed to a ceasefire afterward, she said
The pro-Israeli demonstrations were organized by community and religious centers such as Hillel, while Palestinian supporters came from varied backgrounds and organized outside of the mosques.
"The mosques typically don't like to take political positions," said Abdul Hamad, 22, a recent UF graduate, "especially after the scrutiny they received after 9/11."
Individual Muslim community members, along with Jews and Christians, organize demonstrations, said Ammar Attia, who sometimes lectures at The Islamic Center of Gainesville or the Hoda Center on Fridays, the Muslim day of worship.
The cease-fire has not stopped Gaza demonstrations, Hamad said. A forum to discuss the situation in Gaza is being organized and will be held in the coming weeks, he said.
Muslim demonstrators also received support from activist organizations such as Veterans for Peace and from involved citizens.
One such citizen, Elizabeth Corie-Jones, has been an activist since the Vietnam War.
"I have 11 grandkids," said Corie-Jones, 73. "And so it hurts me to think of children dying."
On Jan. 13, Joe Fuller, a member of Veterans for Peace attended the Palestinian-Israeli rallies held in the Bo Diddley Community Plaza.
When it began to rain, Fuller shouted for the Pro-Israeli demonstrators to take shelter with him and the other pro-Palestinian supporters under the covered stage area
While many of the Palestinian supporters backed up to make room, none of the Israel supporters took shelter from the downpour.
"That's part of the problem," said Cliff Stafford, an observer who works construction in Gainesville. "One of them is too stubborn and the other is too aggressive."
