Dear Friends,
These last six weeks have been among the most painful and challenging I can remember. Due to the horrific nature of what Hamas did, Israel has still not been able to identify all the victims and well over 200 hostages are still held by Hamas terrorists. Here in America we have seen the evil of antisemitism let loose. ADL reported a significant increase in antisemitic incidents in the first weeks of Israel’s war against Hamas and those numbers have continued to climb. Sadly, our local community has not been spared from this unleashed hate.
And yet, even at a time as challenging as this, there have been bright spots. Chief among them is the remarkable solidarity that has emerged within the Jewish community here and in Israel. Six weeks ago Israel was edging toward a civil war. Now the people of Israel stand united. In recent months we had a growing division within our American Jewish community. Now, we see members of the Jewish community standing together as never before.
This profound sense of solidarity was most apparent this past Tuesday at the Washington March for Israel. Over 290,000 people were in attendance, while an estimated 250,000 watched online. But numbers alone only tell part of the story. The gathering was attended by everyone from the ultra-Orthodox to the most “cultural but not religious” members of our community. The left-wing Americans for Peace Now sent members as did the right-wing World Zionist Organization. The depth and breadth of the attendees was truly inspiring. And then there was the demonstration itself, which was as peaceful and loving as it was packed.
I was honored to travel to the demonstration with members of our community, as well as Rabbi Abby Treu and members of her Oheb Shalom community.
Especially at such a dark, difficult time, I’m grateful to have had the chance to spend some time in the warm light of such solidarity.
I asked two of the attendees to share some of their thoughts.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Daniel Cohen
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From TSTI President Bryan Bloom:
Why did I decide to go to the march on Tuesday?
When I heard about the march, my thoughts went to an impactful part of the Yizkor/afternoon Yom Kippur service in years past. There was a letter from a young girl to her parents, from Israel to the United States, responding to her parents questioning why she would want to be in Israel during the time of suicide bombers. Her response was, “there is no place in the world I would rather be.” She was killed by a bomb shortly after writing that letter.
Her words have stuck with me forever. And so I realized, on hearing about the march, that there was no place in the world I would rather be that day. I signed up quickly, filled with curiosity as to what the day would bring.
How was it being there? Truly an experience of a lifetime. 290,000+ people from all over the United States gathering peacefully to show support for Israel and the Jewish people. 290,000+ people making clear the march was against the terrorist organization Hamas, and expressing sympathy for the Palestinian people who Hamas had put in harm’s way. I got to see with my own eyes the multitude of signs demanding the release of the hostages, while understanding the need for military action. It was just an incredible show of solidarity.
Bryan
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From Jordan Fink:
Dear TSTI community,
My name is Jordan Fink and on Tuesday, Rabbi Cohen and I, with 300,000 others, attended the Israel rally. One of the biggest questions I was asked while at the rally was, “Why did I go?” Unlike almost every other student who attends Jewish private school and was mandated to attend the rally, I go to Columbia High School and it was completely my choice to attend.
As background for me, one of the best parts of my bar mitzvah was the knowledge that I could leave the Temple behind. This was after years of being there twice a week for Hebrew school. While I understand why I felt that way at the time, last year I made a personal decision to reinvolve myself with the Temple and my Jewish identity.
When my mom told me about this rally I knew I had to be there. It was a way for me to show my commitment and love for the Jewish community. It would also be an event I would remember for the rest of my life, and I knew I could bring its messages back to my community.
The rally itself was amazing—300,000 people from across the country to peacefully support Israel and its people. One of the coolest parts for me was the fact that no Jew expressed acts of violence or hate, showing the true side of the Jewish community: peace and love. People were handing out food, flags, and posters to anyone who wanted them. Jews that have never met, and will never meet again, were standing beside one another to show their support.
Many people spoke at the rally, all sending the same very specific message: Israel is strong and their people will not back down. From the tears of hostage family members, to the singing of the Israel national anthem, Hatikvah, and One Day by Matisyahu. Even government officials from across the board including Chuck Schumer, Mike Johnson, and Hakeem Jeffries came together to spread a nonpartisan message of strength and the urgency to silence antisemitism in the nation.
All the messages of love and strength that were shared at this rally will stick with me forever, and have already helped me make a difference in the community. If you were unable to attend the rally, I urge you to watch the livestream of it and try to make a difference for yourself.
Am Israel Chai,
Jordan Fink