Everything changed that day when he visited the Holocaust Museum in Washington with his wife, from which the two emerged shaken and disturbed by what they saw. There, out of nowhere, she told him, "I want to reconnect with the faith of my people." Buchanan was surprised and asked what she meant – and was then amazed to hear for the first time the words "I'm Jewish." This wasn't just a surprising discovery for Joe, but also a door opening to an entire world he didn't know existed. "We never had a religious wedding ceremony; we just got married at city hall. The subject of religion never came up," he says.

This connection between Texas and Judaism sounds almost impossible on its face – a cowboy with a southern accent playing and singing ballads about Abraham, Isaac, and Eve. But this very contrast has won over many communities. "Every verse in the Torah is actually a song waiting for someone to compose it," he says. His performances draw teenagers alongside adults, Jews and Christians, and everyone waits to hear how he connects prayer with country music. "There are those who tell me my songs bring them back to tradition, some say it gives them strength in moments of crisis – and there are those who simply enjoy the southern sound."

The post 'Not everyone liked the idea': US country singer's conversion journey appeared first on www.israelhayom.com.

This video of the Guadalupe was shot in Kerrville, Tx from the Center Bridge. Watch how fast these flood waters were traveling & washing everything in front of it out.
It goes from low & barley flowing to over the top of the bridge in around 35 minutes.
I sped the video up to… pic.twitter.com/NcQe4UAQBa

— Clyp Keeper (@DGrayTexas45) July 6, 2025

The catastrophic flooding in Kerr County has claimed the lives of at least 43 individuals, including 15 children, while an additional eight fatalities occurred in surrounding counties, The Associated Press reported. Officials have not disclosed the total number of missing persons beyond the children from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp situated along a river in Kerr County where the majority of victims were found, The Associated Press stated.

The devastating, rapidly moving waters surged 26 feet (8 meters) on the Guadalupe River in merely 45 minutes before dawn on Friday, sweeping away residences and vehicles. The threat persisted as rainfall continued to hammer communities near San Antonio on Saturday, with flash flood warnings and watches remaining active.

Emergency personnel deployed helicopters, watercraft, and drones to search for victims and rescue individuals trapped in trees and at camps cut off by washed-out roadways. Governor Greg Abbott pledged that authorities would maintain round-the-clock operations and announced that new areas were being searched as floodwaters subsided. He designated Sunday as a day of prayer for the state. "I urge every Texan to join me in prayer this Sunday – for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines," Abbott stated.

Officials are facing examination over whether the camps and residents in areas historically susceptible to flooding received adequate warning and whether sufficient preparations were implemented. AccuWeather reported that the private forecasting company and the National Weather Service issued warnings about potential flash flooding hours in advance." These warnings should have provided officials with ample time to evacuate camps such as Camp Mystic and get people to safety," AccuWeather stated. The company characterized the Hill Country as one of the most flash-flood-prone regions in the US due to its terrain and numerous water crossings.

The hills surrounding the Guadalupe River in central Texas are scattered with century-old youth camps and campgrounds where multiple generations of families have gathered to swim and enjoy outdoor activities. The region experiences particular popularity around the July Fourth holiday, complicating efforts to determine how many individuals are missing. "We don't even want to begin to estimate at this time," Kerrville City Manager Dalton Rice stated earlier.

At the Mo-Ranch Camp in the Hunt community, officials had monitored weather conditions and decided to relocate several hundred campers and attendees at a church youth conference to higher ground. At nearby Camps Rio Vista and Sierra Vista, organizers also mentioned on social media that they were monitoring weather conditions the day before concluding their second summer session Thursday.

Desperate parents and families shared photographs of missing loved ones and appeals for information. Officials reported that more than 850 people had been rescued in the previous 36 hours, with heroic efforts at the camps to save children. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arrived and committed that the Trump administration would utilize all available resources. Coast Guard helicopters and aircraft were providing assistance to ensure operations could continue even in darkness.

A real life illustration on the power and speed of a Texas Flash Flood . If you don't understand - this is why people sleeping might have been swept away. This is few hours ago (afternoon of July 5) on the Llano River at the crossing of Ranch Road 3404 at the Kingsland Slab, a… pic.twitter.com/pZiPgKlNb0

— JW Spencer (@jeffwspencer) July 5, 2025

 One reunification center at an elementary school remained mostly quiet after accommodating hundreds of evacuees the previous day. "We still have people coming here looking for their loved ones. We've had a little success, but not much," stated Bobby Templeton, superintendent of Ingram Independent School District.

In Ingram, Erin Burgess awakened to thunder and rain in the middle of the night. Just 20 minutes later, water was flooding into her home, she reported. She described an agonizing hour clinging to a tree with her teenage son. "My son and I floated to a tree where we hung onto it, and my boyfriend and my dog floated away. He was lost for a while, but we found them," she explained.

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SpaceX has successfully landed its Starship rocket booster in Texas following a bold test flight, marking a significant step towards the company's goal of developing a fully reusable rocket system for lunar missions, reports Daily Mail.

The 400-foot reusable rocket blasted off at sunrise from a launch site near the Mexico border before landing on a pad equipped with mechanical arms, dubbed "chopsticks" by the company. The flight path took the rocket over the Gulf of Mexico, following the same route as four previous Starship tests that ended in destruction.

BREAKING: SpaceX Spacecraft successfully returns to ground after being caught by clamps that they are calling "chopsticks" https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3

Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/s6AZDcxRex

— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 13, 2024

 The achievement represents a major milestone for SpaceX, as it aims to create a rocket system capable of carrying crew and cargo to the moon. "Even in this day and age, what we just saw is magic," said SpaceX's Dan Huot from near the launch site after the booster touched down. "I am shaking right now." The company's founder, Elon Musk, expressed his excitement on social media platform X, stating, "The tower has caught the rocket!!"

SpaceX brought the first-stage booster back to land at the pad from which it had soared seven minutes earlier. The launch tower's massive metal arms successfully caught the descending 232-foot booster. The flight director made the decision to attempt the landing in real-time, with both the booster and launch tower required to be in good, stable condition. SpaceX had previously stated that if conditions were not ideal, the booster would end up in the Gulf of Mexico like its predecessors.

Kate Tice, speaking from SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, declared, "Folks, this is a day for the engineering history books."

The spacecraft atop the booster continued its journey around the world once separated, targeting a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The entire flight was expected to last just over an hour.

This latest test flight incorporated improvements based on lessons learned from previous attempts. The June flight fell short at the end after pieces came off, prompting SpaceX to upgrade the software and rework the heat shield, enhancing the thermal tiles.

SpaceX's achievement marks another milestone in the company's quest to make space travel more accessible and cost-effective through reusable rocket technology. As the space industry continues to evolve, such advancements may pave the way for more frequent and ambitious missions beyond Earth's orbit.

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A federal lawsuit filed in Texas is challenging the Biden administration's sanctions against Israeli citizens, alleging the measures violate constitutional rights. Four Israeli-Americans claim the sanctions are discriminatory, with their attorney arguing that the president cannot punish those with whom he politically disagrees.

Last week, four Israelis with American citizenship filed a lawsuit against the US government in the Northern District of Texas federal court, challenging sanctions imposed on them. The plaintiffs argue that the sanctions violate the US Constitution and have given the government 90 days to respond.

Michael Isley, a Texans for Israel worker; Meir Deutsch, the CEO of pro-settler NGO Regavim; Ari Abramowitz, a victim of a stabbing attack by Palestinians; and Yosef Ben Chaim, the husband to the founder of Tzav 9, a movement to stop humanitarian aid from entering Gaza, brought the lawsuit. It details the case of Yosef Ben Chaim: "The plaintiff has suffered significant financial harm from the sanctions imposed on his wife, as he received his monthly salary from her business. Their bank accounts, including her business account in Israel, were frozen, preventing the couple from carrying out essential daily activities," the lawsuit states.

The complaint provides context for Tzav 9 activities, emphasizing the organization's opposition to violence and outlining the impact of the sanctions. "The order is discriminatory, and its enforcement violates the constitutional rights of American citizens," writes Jerome Marcus, one of the attorneys on the legal team. In an interview with Israel Hayom, Marcus added that the administration has supported other protests that employed tactics similar to those employed in Tzav 9.

לא מכניסים סחורה לחמאסנאצים !

נמשכת מניעת כניסת משאיות לרצועת עזה.
משאית ירדנית נעצרה והסחורה הושמדה.

גם המשאיות שבמעבר גורביץ פורקו מסחורה
11 משאיות של סחורה !!!

כל הכבוד
pic.twitter.com/ghkzmtsDg8

— דבורה ⁦ (@devorah555) May 13, 2024

What exactly is the problem with the sanctions?

Marcus explained, "The order is worded to apply to 'anyone who, in the US President's opinion, interferes with the peace process between Israel and its Arab neighbors.' However, in practice, sanctions were only imposed on Jews, while Palestinian Authority officials who committed violence against Jews faced no such measures." He argued that the conclusion about Israeli settler violence is based on biased statistics.

Marcus further contended, "The administration targeted individuals for engaging in legitimate protest activities. This is the kind of protest that the Biden administration has praised when it involved organizations they support. The administration's order gives the president the authority to punish people who act contrary to his opinion. This is unusual and, in our view, illegal."

Regarding the impact on US citizens, Marcus emphasized, "The fact that these sanctions target US citizens makes the executive order far more problematic legally. US citizens have constitutional rights that non-citizens do not. This is particularly relevant to the First Amendment, which protects every American citizen's right to free speech and to hear others speak freely."

Why is the proceeding taking place in Texas?

Marcus explained, "One of the plaintiffs, Texans for Israel – a group of Christian supporters of Israel who bring Israelis from Judea and Samaria to the US to speak and meet with American government officials – is based in Texas."

Deutsch filed the petition against the sanctions and commented: "Friendship and democracy are proven through actions, not words. The recent actions of the US raise serious questions about its commitment to both democracy and true friendship. At Israel's most challenging hour since its establishment, the American administration has withheld critical ammunition. For the first time in history, our ally has imposed sanctions on us – not to influence government policy but to sway public opinion in Israel. This is not how a democracy behaves, nor how a friend acts."

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A Texas-based company is revolutionizing ammunition sales with the introduction of vending machines in grocery stores across multiple states. American Rounds, headquartered in Richardson, Texas, has installed computerized "automated retail machines" that dispense ammunition in Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas, NBC Dallas reports.

The company launched its first machine in Alabama in November 2023 and has since expanded to eight locations across four states. Magers claims the demand is surging, with over 200 stores currently on a waiting list for installations.

The machines employ advanced technology to ensure compliance with age restrictions and identification requirements. Customers must first verify their ID using a scanner similar to those used by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The system checks that buyers are at least 21 years old, which is a standard requirement at all locations. Federal law requires individuals to be 18 to purchase shotgun and rifle ammunition and 21 for handgun ammunition.

The purchasing process involves several steps, including facial recognition software to confirm that the buyer matches the ID presented. After completing the transaction, the ammunition is dispensed from the machine.

American Rounds kiosks
CEO Grant Magers pic.twitter.com/eoNpzPIguz

— Truthseeker (@Xx17965797N) July 10, 2024

 While American Rounds touts the safety features of their system, the concept has faced criticism from gun safety advocates. A senior vice president for Everytown for Gun Safety expressed concerns in a statement to NBC Dallas, saying, "Innovations that make ammunition sales more secure via facial recognition, age verification, and the tracking of serial sales are promising safety measures that belong in gun stores, not in the place where you buy your kids milk."

Grant Magers, CEO of American Rounds, defends the technology, arguing that it enforces stricter ID verification compared to online or off-the-shelf purchases. "It's the safest, most secure method of ammunition sales on the market, and it completely maintains the integrity of the Second Amendment," he told NBC Dallas. "We don't store the consumer's data, we don't take their ID or their facial, it's not stored on any cloud."

The concept of vending machines for age-restricted products is not entirely new. Similar technologies have been developed for selling alcoholic beverages and cannabis products in states where marijuana is legal. Additionally, a Pennsylvania police officer created a company about 12 years ago that places bullet-vending machines in private gun clubs and ranges.

American Rounds' machines are primarily located in rural communities where access to ammunition retailers may be limited. The machines can be found in Super C Mart and Fresh Value grocery stores in small cities such as Pell City, Alabama, and Noble, Oklahoma.

The introduction of these vending machines comes amid ongoing concerns about gun violence in the United States. According to a database maintained by The Associated Press, USA Today, and Northeastern University, there have been 15 mass killings involving firearms so far in 2024, compared to 39 in 2023.

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Following the Jan. 15 hostage situation at a Texas synagogue, Jewish organizations in the United States have reignited their push for Congress to double the funding of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, ensuring that more targeted non-profit institutions such as synagogues get federal funding to invest in protection.

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While none of the hostages, including Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker of Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, was hurt in the ordeal, organizations such as the Jewish Federations of North America and the Orthodox Union are pointing to increasing threats to Jewish institutions to justify an increase in the NSGP from $180 million annually to $360 million.

"If the events in Colleyville do not reinforce how crucial nonprofit security grants are in securing our communities, I don't know what will," said JFNA president and CEO Eric Fingerhut in a news release on Sunday.

Elana Broitman, JFNA senior vice president, said the request was not new, as the Jewish community has been calling for $360 million in funding for a number of years. While still not funded at the ideal level, support had been growing – doubling last year to $180 million.

That number was still only enough to cover 45% of funding requests made by non-profit organizations last year, of which approximately $220 million worth of requests were not granted because of insufficient cash, said Broitman.

Another $100 million for the NSGP was written into the Build Back Better bill, which has stalled.

But as Congress works to pass an omnibus spending package before the latest Continuing Resolution (CR) funding the government expires in February, the organizations see this as a perfect opportunity to increase the NSGP grant budget.

After the Texas hostage situation, the urgency has increased, Broitman said – not just in the Jewish world but for other targeted communal facilities that can also access the grant funding.

"I mean, the antisemitic trend is horrendous, and there are law-enforcement reports that really show that it is the worst among religiously motivated hate activities. That said, we're the canary in the coal mine," said Broitman. "This fund goes beyond Jewish communities, and I think everybody recognizes how important it is."

The NSGP grants go toward security measures in non-profit organizations, including religious centers, museums and houses of worship. These measures include the installation of security cameras, secure doors, barriers and active-shooter training drills.

Cytron-Walker said the training he was provided helped him act against the hostage-taker.

Additional security measures through this and other programs also helped avert further loss of life at the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting and other attacks on synagogues.

"When something happens in one place – regardless of what details were in the particular attack – the security risk in other places of course rises because we always worry about copycat attacks, and every incident is a little bit different," said Broitman. "And so the more we can protect institutions, the higher the bar for breaching those institutions."

"We're rallying the community because we just have to protect our vulnerable institutions," she said.

'Definitely more in ballpark of where demand level is'

According to Nathan Diament, executive director of the OU Advocacy Center, the $360 million figure was proposed by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) himself a few years ago.

Diament said the omnibus spending package will be the obvious place to include the amount, as congressional leaders and heads of the appropriation committees have started meeting to negotiate the omnibus to cover the remainder of the fiscal year.

The $360 million, he said, will be "definitely more in the ballpark of where the demand level is."

Diament had just concluded a Zoom meeting on Tuesday organized by the Orthodox Union with more than 1,000 synagogue representatives from across the nation, in addition to department officials such as US Attorney General Merrick Garland, US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Majorkas, FBI director Christopher Wray and FBI deputy director Paul Abbate.

Besides messages of solidarity from the administration officials, the synagogue representatives were promised that the agencies would do whatever they could to bolster the community's security as well as go through practical steps that synagogues could take in the coming weeks.

NSGP funding and other security resources provided by Homeland Security and the FBI were also part of the discussion, according to Diament, as well as practical steps for the synagogue representatives.

"For example, the FBI director said to the synagogue leaders, 'If you or your synagogue leadership doesn't currently have an open line of communication to your local FBI field office, you should pick up the phone and start that now because that's an important relationship to have,'" he said.

Diament added that another security measure the OU has been advocating for years was for the federal government through the US Department of Justice and other grant programs to provide more resources to local police specifically to increase patrols and presence around synagogues and other houses of worship.

"If we're in an environment in which houses of worship are targets, we need a more regular – at least, hopefully, only on a short-term basis – but we need a more regular police presence at houses of worship," he said.

Eric Fusfield, director of legislative affairs for B'nai B'rith International, said his organization has long supported the increase.

"One result of Colleyville is the growing awareness that such attacks can occur anywhere, at any time, from multiple sources," he said. "Also, the FBI's hate-crimes data affirm that the Jewish community is by far the most vulnerable among religious groups."

Rabbi Rick Jacobs, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, the denomination Beth Israel is affiliated with, noted that Muslim, Christian and other faith leaders quickly gathered to support the congregants.

"While the uptick of antisemitism is clear, we've never lived in a community where there's more solidarity," he said.

Anna Eisen, the founding president of Beth Israel, experienced that first-hand, citing support "from neighbors, strangers, churches, the governor" and others.

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"I feel safer," she said. "I know now I'm a part of this community and this country."

Some advocacy groups and lawmakers have cited the Texas hostage situation in calling on the Senate to take up Biden's nomination of Deborah Lipstadt to serve as a special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism.

The Emory University professor's nomination languished last year, forcing Biden to resubmit her name two weeks ago. The Anti-Defamation League called on the Senate to "act now" to show the urgency of confronting antisemitism.

"We need to treat antisemitism not as an aberration but an everyday reality," said Jonathan Greenblatt, chief executive officer of the ADL.

Rabbi Noah Farkas, the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, said he has been speaking with rabbinic colleagues in the wake of the Texas incident and many have trepidations about leading services.

"To be a Jew in America today, to wear Jewish ritual garb like the yarmulke or a Star of David, is an act of courage, and I would say defiance as well," Farkas said.

The attack underscores how "the Jewish community is an affected and targeted group," said Bradley Orsini, senior national security adviser for Secure Community Network, which consults with major Jewish organizations on security.

He took part in a weekend webinar that drew about 1,600 Jewish community leaders to update them on the Colleyville situation. "We really need to keep preparedness in front of us," he said.

JNS.org contributed to this report.

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British police said Thursday they have arrested two people in connection with Saturday's hostage-taking at a synagogue in Texas.

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Counter-Terrorism Police North West said one man was arrested Thursday in Birmingham, central England, and another in the city of Manchester. They were being held for questioning and have not yet been charged.

Malik Faisal Akram, a 44-year-old British citizen, took four people hostage at a Texas synagogue in a 10-hour standoff that ended in his death. Akram entered the United States as a tourist about two weeks earlier and spent time in Dallas-area homeless shelters before Saturday's attack at Congregation Beth Israel, in the suburb of Colleyville.

Two British teenagers were arrested as part of the investigation on Sunday and later released without charge.

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The Secure Community Network – a safety and security organization of the Jewish community in North America – launched a new training program this week to help protect community members from violence in the aftermath of the Texas hostage crisis that took place on Jan. 15 during Shabbat.

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"As we saw in Texas, we cannot pick the time and date of the next incident that will impact our community, but we can choose to prepare," CEO of SCN Michael Masters said. "A critical component of preparing is training."

On Saturday, a British gunman, who was later identified as Malik Faisal Akram, held four members of Beth Israel Congregation in Colleyville, a suburb of Fort Worth, hostage for nearly 11 hours. The congregants, including Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, ultimately escaped unharmed. The 44-year-old attacker was shot and killed by law enforcement.

The new program, called "Be Aware," is meant to provide participants with an improved ability to recognize suspicious behavior and criminal activity, guidance on how to report it, and strategies to protect themselves and others from violence, according to a release by the SCN.
The training is interactive, can be taken in person or online, and should help people be better able to recognize and react to dangerous situations in their everyday lives – from going to synagogue and dropping off children at school to stopping at a gas station or ATM.

"This training will provide crucial skills the Jewish community needs to stay safe," said Masters, adding that it was designed by security professionals who specifically worked within the Jewish community in collaboration with U.S. law enforcement.

Last year, SCN trained 17,000 community members. This new program is expected to increase that number.

An online preview of the training will take place on Jan. 27 at 1 p.m. EST. Participants can register online.

 Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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To a certain extent, you could say that Omicron saved the lived of members of a synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, where a 12-hour hostage standoff ended Saturday. If the fifth COVID wave hadn't hit the US, many more worshippers would have been in attendance at the 160-seat Beth Israel Reform synagogue when the hostage taker targeted the community.

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Texas is home to some 160,000 Jewish residents, most of whom live in Houston and Dallas. Only about 100 Jewish families live in Colleyville, a suburb about 30 minutes away from Dallas. The Jewish community there is small, founded in 1999. The local synagogue was built only six years later, in 2005.

"This is a warm, close community, based mainly on volunteers, mutual responsibility, and support, Sharona Israeli-Roth, VP of Online Education at the Israeli American Council (IAC), tells Israel Hayom.

"We went through some difficult, tense hours. We're happy that the hostages came out safely," Israeli-Roth says.

Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker has been in charge of the congregation since 2006. Israeli-Roth describes him as a "special man, devoted to education and bringing people together, who works closely with the Muslim and Christian community in our area. We met at the beginning of the COVID pandemic and since them we've been working with him on online education to bring Israel into his congregation in the framework of the IAC Ofek [study] program.

"Our cooperation allows the community to continue its study of the spirit of Israel with the best teachers and close, warm contact between teachers and students," she says.

The Colleyville community, like many across the US, is not backed by a local Jewish federation, and mainly meets the religious needs of the people who live there. Actually, it works closely with a local church to provide the services its members need – after-school activities are held in the church.

"The congregation members' connection to Judaism is confined to the synagogue – beyond that, they identify as Americans," Gilad Katz, former Israeli Consul General to the Southwest US, tells Israel Hayom.

"In a certain sense, a congregation like this is fragile and could fall apart because people tend to move around," he adds.

While the synagogue has 160 seats, it is rare that they are all taken.

"In this instance, the most important goal of the congregation is to remain in existence. I think that an event like this [the hostage standoff], which we still don't fully understand, generally strengthens the community. The immediate response will be a fear to go to synagogue, but after that, if the rabbi works properly and inspires respect, he can strengthen the congregation and create an atmosphere of action," Katz says.

In the broader context, Katz say, "It's no secret that antisemitism is rearing its head in the US. At least one in four [Jewish] institutions is being attacked and US Jews are reliazing that something bad is happening for US Jews. The way in which US Jewry confronts these difficulties will be its biggest challenge in the next few years."

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Hostages who had been held for hours inside a Colleyville, Texas synagogue were rescued Saturday night, according to Gov. Greg Abbott, bringing an end to a standoff that had lasted nearly 12 hours.

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"Prayers answered. All hostages are out alive and safe," Abbott tweeted.

Abbott's tweet came not long after a loud bang and what sounded like gunfire was heard coming from the synagogue, where authorities said a man had held people captive as he demanded the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani neuroscientist suspected of having ties to al-Qaida who was convicted of trying to kill US Army officers in Afghanistan.

#BREAKING

Video from a local TV showing two hostages running out of the synagogue during the kidnapping incident in Colleyville, Texas. pic.twitter.com/8XW0WVmAdA

— Media Warrior (@MediaWarriorY) January 16, 2022

Authorities said all four hostages held at Congregation Beth Israel were safe and unharmed. One was released during the standoff, three others were rescued when authorities entered the building. Authorities say the hostage-taker was killed but details of the rescue or his death were not immediately released.

The FBI said the gunman was specifically focused on an issue not directly connected to the Jewish community.

Colleyville Police Chief Michael Miller said about 200 law enforcement officers responded to the scene throughout the day. The North Tarrant Regional SWAT Team initially responded as officers evacuated residents from nearby homes and set up a perimeter. The FBI called in a SWAT team, an elite hostage negotiation team and its Hostage Rescue Team, Miller said.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Matt DeSarno said there was no immediate indication that the gunman had connections to any broader plan but that the agency's investigation "will have global reach."

At least four hostages were initially believed to be inside the synagogue, including the synagogue's rabbi.

The Colleyville Police Department said one hostage was released uninjured shortly after 5 p.m. Saturday. The man was expected to be reunited with his family and did not require medical attention.

Authorities were still trying to discern a precise motive for the attack. The hostage-taker was heard demanding the release of Siddiqui, and also said he wanted to be able to speak with her, according to officials. Siddiqui is in federal prison in Texas.

A rabbi in New York City received a call from the rabbi believed to be held hostage in the synagogue to demand Siddiqui's release, a law enforcement official said. The New York rabbi then called 911.

Police were first called to the synagogue around 11 a.m. and people were evacuated from the surrounding neighborhood soon after that, FBI Dallas spokesperson Katie Chaumont said.

The services were being livestreamed on the synagogue's Facebook page for a time. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that an angry man could be heard ranting and talking about religion at times during the livestream, which didn't show what was happening inside the synagogue.

Shortly before 2 p.m., the man said, "You got to do something. I don't want to see this guy dead." Moments later, the feed cut out. A Meta company spokesperson later confirmed that Facebook removed the video.

Multiple people heard the hostage-taker refer to Siddiqui as his "sister" on the livestream, but Faizan Syed, the executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations in Dallas Fort-Worth Texas, told the AP that Siddiqui's brother, Mohammad Siddiqui, was not involved. Syed said CAIR's support and prayers were with the people being held in the synagogue.

Texas resident Victoria Francis told the AP that she watched about an hour of the livestream before it cut out. She said she heard the man rant against America and claim he had a bomb.

"He was just all over the map. He was pretty irritated and the more irritated he got, he'd make more threats, like 'I'm the guy with the bomb. If you make a mistake, this is all on you.' And he'd laugh at that," she said. "He was clearly in extreme distress."

Francis, who grew up near Colleyville, tuned in after she read about the hostage situation. She said it sounded like the man was talking to the police department on the phone, with the rabbi and another person trying to help with the negotiations.

Colleyville, a community of about 26,000 people, is about 15 miles (23 kilometers) northeast of Fort Worth. The synagogue is nestled among large houses in a leafy residential neighborhood that includes several churches, a middle and elementary school and a horse farm.

Congregation Beth Israel is led by Rabbi Charlie Cytron-Walker, who has been there since 2006 as the synagogue's first full-time rabbi. He has worked to bring a sense of spirituality, compassion and learning to the community, according to his biography, and he loves welcoming everyone, including LGBT people, into the congregation.

Anna Salton Eisen, a founder and former president of the synagogue, said the congregation has about 140 members and Cytron-Walker has worked hard to build interfaith relationships in the community, including doing pulpit swaps and participating in a community peace walk. She described Saturday's events as "surreal."

"This is unlike anything we've ever experienced. You know, it's a small town and it's a small congregation," Eisen said as the hostage situation was ongoing. "No matter how it turns out it's hard to fathom how we will all be changed by this, because surely we will be."

White House press secretary Jen Psaki tweeted Saturday evening that US President Joe Biden had been briefed and was receiving updates from senior officials.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said he was monitoring the situation closely. "We pray for the safety of the hostages and rescuers," he wrote on Twitter.

CAIR, the nation's largest Muslim advocacy group, condemned the attack Saturday afternoon.

"This latest antisemitic attack at a house of worship is an unacceptable act of evil," CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said in a statement. "We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community, and we pray that law enforcement authorities are able to swiftly and safely free the hostages. No cause can justify or excuse this crime."

Siddiqui earned advanced degrees from Brandeis University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before she was sentenced in 2010 to 86 years in prison on charges that she assaulted and shot at US Army officers after being detained in Afghanistan two years earlier. The punishment sparked outrage in Pakistan among political leaders and her supporters, who viewed her as victimized by the American criminal justice system.

Siddiqui told her attorney, Marwa Elbially, she was attacked in her cell on July 30, the Dallas-Fort Worth sector of the Council on American-Islamic Relations previously told the Star-Telegram. Another woman reportedly smashed a coffee mug with scalding hot liquid into Siddiqui's face, the report said.

After the attack, Siddiqui was taken out of her cell in a wheelchair and then forced into solitary confinement, Syed has said.

US authorities say Siddiqui is a dangerous terrorist with ties to the ringleader of 9/11. Counter-terrorism groups have dubbed her "Lady al-Qaida," and US officials once described her as "the most wanted woman in the world." The US government has refused to trade her for American hostages multiple times, including for journalist James Foley prior to his execution by ISIS.

According to the US Department of Justice, Siddiqui was detained in Afghanistan in 2008. Officers who searched her found documents about the creation of explosives, descriptions of American landmarks and sealed bottles of chemicals, according to a press release about her arrest. While in the Afghan facility, US Army officers said, Siddiqui grabbed a rifle from an officer, pointed it at a captain and yelled, "May the blood of [unintelligible] be directly on your [unintelligible, possibly head or hands]." An interpreter lunged at her and pushed the rifle away as Siddiqui pulled the trigger, according to the DOJ. Siddiqui fired at least two shots but did not hit anyone. An Army officer shot Siddiqui in the torso.

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Elbially, Siddiqui's attorney, said Saturday "she has absolutely no involvement with" the taking of hostages at the synagogue and said the perpetrator is not Siddiqui's brother.

"She does not want any violence perpetrated against any human being, especially in her name," Elbially told CNN by phone. "It obviously has nothing to do with Dr. Siddiqui or her family."

"Whoever the assailant is, we want him to know that his actions are condemned by Dr. Aafia and her family," Elbially said. "We implore you to immediately release the hostages and turn yourself in."

In the years since her incarceration, Pakistani officials have expressed interest publicly in any sort of deal or swap that could result in her release from US custody and her case has continued to draw attention from supporters. In 2018, for instance, an Ohio man who prosecutors say planned to fly to Texas and attack the prison where Siddiqui is being held in an attempt to free her was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

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