New York Governor Kathy Hochul experienced a deeply emotional moment during her visit to Israel. While on a mission to show support for the country following a recent Hamas attack, Hochul’s 87-year-old father, John Courtney, tragically passed away from a brain hemorrhage in Florida. Her father was an Irish Catholic who had previously visited Israel and had encouraged her to do the same.
Despite the personal loss, Governor Hochul continued her visit. She donned a somber black attire in memory of her father and offered a heartfelt tribute at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. Hochul wrote a personal note in which she prayed for her father and for the victims of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Following tradition, she placed her note into a crevice in the ancient wall, which is the last remnant of the original retaining wall surrounding the Second Temple, constructed over two millennia ago.
Governor Hochul’s note also expressed her hope for a peaceful and violence-free future, invoking the famous words about the arc of the universe bending towards justice. She prayed for all the victims of the Hamas attack on Israel, emphasizing the innocent civilians who have suffered in the conflict.
In a moving and unplanned gesture, Kathy Hochul visited the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, one of the most sacred sites in Christianity. Despite objections from her security team, the governor paid her respects at the site traditionally believed to be where Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected. Inside the church, she knelt and prayed at a shrine situated above the rock-cut tomb.
Her visit also extended to Shaare Tzedek, a Jerusalem hospital treating individuals injured in the recent Hamas attacks. After meeting with the hospital staff, Governor Hochul visited wounded Israelis and listened to their accounts. One young soldier, shot in the leg while rescuing civilians and aiding the injured, shared his heroic story.
Hochul praised the resilience and indomitable spirit of the Israeli people, firmly stating their right to self-defense. She underscored the importance of standing up to aggressors and not allowing the forces of evil to go unchallenged.
In the evening, Governor Hochul addressed the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations at the Waldorf Astoria, reiterating her support for Israel’s right to protect itself.