At the Israel Center of Conservative Judaism in Fresh Meadows, rabbis from nearly a dozen Conservative and Reform congregations from Queens joined forces Sunday night. They came together for what organizers said was an emergency community gathering to pray for peace in Israel.

“The Jewish response to that is to gather together and pray,” said Rabbi Hillel Lavery-Yisraëli of Israel Center of Conservative Judaism. “And that is what this evening is about. It’s about prayer and standing together and lending a shoulder to those who need it to cry on!”

For Lavery-Yisraëli, concern for his three children and other family members who are currently living in Israel weighed deeply on his mind.

“I have grown children who live in Jerusalem and family in Tel Aviv!” he said. “I’ve been to the places where the attacks occurred. I lived in Israel 16 years. It’s just the most shocking thing.”

While organizers did not intend for this prayer service to get political, they did allow Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Borough President Donovan Richards and other dignities to share their support for Israel and for peace.

Rabbi Sharon Ballan of Temple Beth Sholom of Flushing said the show of solidarity from various congregations is important for people to see.

“We don’t always see eye to eye on things, but when Israel is in danger and our brothers and sisters are in peril and they are hurting, we are all mourning and so we all come together in unity,” Ballan said.

Congregants like Alan Berkower, who has worshipped at Israel Center of Conservative Judaism for about two decades, said while he doesn’t pray more than he used to, he admits that over the past week, he’s been praying differently.

“I think my prayers have changed since this past week,” he said. “I don’t think I have been doing more praying but more focused praying. I also have a daughter who lives in Israel. She lives in the West Bank. I’m very concerned for her, for her husband, for her four sons.

Berkower says one of his cousins who lives in Israel was celebrating her 60th birthday in Thailand last Saturday. She was there when Hamas attacked her neighborhood, killing many of her neighbors and friends.