U.S. Sen. Cory Booker made one of his first public appearances in New Jersey since returning from Israel Thursday morning. The senator was in the region for a summit in Jerusalem when the Israel-Hamas War broke out on Saturday.

Booker addressed the congregation at Temple B’nai Jeshurun in Short Hills for a prayer service. Booker was in Israel when Hamas launched its attacks and was in and out of bomb shelters Saturday as the conflict escalated. Booker said he would continue to work with his colleagues in the Senate to continue supporting Israel’s security and ensuring stability in the region.

"We’re going to go to Washington this week to get supplemental funding, not just for Ukraine now, but also for Israel and Israel’s defense,” Booker said.

Earlier this week the FBI stressed a significantly heightened threat for the Jewish community, and they said it would remain a heightened threat as long as the war continues. A former Hamas leader called Friday the “day of Jihad.” As congregants gathered for Shabbat service, Ellie Cohen from Livingston said she feels safe and won’t cower in the face of terror.

"I learned you can’t let the bums win you have to stand straight you have to be proud,” she said.

In the coming weeks, Booker said he’ll continue to work to ensure the safety and security of New Jerseyans here and Americans still in Gaza.

"There are many Americans that are in Gaza right now, we want to do everything we can to get them out safely and to try to get humanitarian support in...there are four of us leading a charge to get more resources for the fund that synagogues and JCC’s and mosques and other who are seeing heightened activity and potential threats,” Booker said.