Colorado elected officials, Jewish leaders and hundreds of Israel supporters rallied at the steps of the state Capitol on Sunday – nine days after Hamas launched a deadly attack on Israel – to mourn, pray and come together.

 “This country will make sure that Israel has the resources to fight back,” said Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper in a joint statement.

Nearly 7,000 miles away were those in Denver on Sunday afternoon, echoing comments by Israel supporters from around the world.

Emerging from the Capitol, for a brief moment, was Gov. Jared Polis.

“These evil acts of terrorism are our greatest fears brought to life,” Polis told the crowd. “We need to come together and take on hate and bias because we know that in Colorado, hate for Jews, Muslims, or Christians, for anyone, cannot find a home here in the state of Colorado.”

The first Jewish governor in Colorado history added: “Right now, we’re coming together and our strength is our ability to stand up for support of Israel and its people to stand up against hate to be an example of hope and of life that others can follow.

“Colorado is proud of our Jewish community and I’m proud to be part of it.”

Sunday’s rally was hosted by the Israeli American Council. One of its members there was Hezy Shalev.

“I take it very, very personally,” Shalev told The Denver Gazette. “People want to feel supported, even here. It’s been, you know, a terrible, terrible week for all of us. The more important thing is to support Israel right now.”

Shalev, an Israeli living in Colorado, has family still in Israel.

“To see this is encouraging,” state Rep. Yaron Weinberg told The Denver Gazette, saying he is going to send pictures to his family who just evacuated from the Lebanon border.

“They’re going to break down crying man because they feel alone half the time. They feel that it happens for about a week or two and then nobody gives any support to Israel.”

Hickenlooper, the former Denver mayor and state governor, said the attacks on Israel should be “a reminder to all of us who are not Jewish, how important it is to stand up and push back and not hate and help protect our Jewish friends and neighbors.”

He added, “I know it’s very difficult right now, but we have a commitment to do everything we can to reconnect everyone who is missing a loved one. We’ll do whatever we can to make sure we get you to the people that can actually help.”