Updates From the March in Washington

By Hamodia Staff

Good afternoon from Washington, DC, where hundreds of thousands of Jews and Israel supporters from across North America are gathering at the ‘March for Israel’ rally on the National Mall.

The rally, organized by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Organization, is being held for the purposes of asking the U.S. government to continue its support of Israel despite pressures from international entities and some in the U.S,; to call attention to the plight of the approximately 240 Israeli hostages being held in Gaza; and to protest the antisemitism that has raged in the U.S. and around the world since Hamas’ attack on Israel October 7, in which 1,200 Jews were killed, mostly civilians and many in barbaric fashion, and scores injured.

Hamodia will provide live coverage from the event.

3:15 p.m.

Israel’s ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog spoke how that Israel did not start the war, but will fight until they finish the war and return the hostages. “We will leave no stone unturned until bring them back home. There is simply no other choice for a nation that values life. Thankfully, we are not alone, as a majority of Americans stands firmly with Israel.” He thanked the president and the people of America who joined to stand with Israel. “We are witnessing mass rallies around the globe glorifying Hamas. We are seeing students on colleges being attacked. Where do you stand? Do you stand with the killers, or with the democracy which does whatever it can to protect life. Raise our voices loud for Israel to defend itself. Raise our voices loud to denounce Hamas for the ISIS-like murderers that they are. Raise our voices loud to bring all the hostages home.”

3:00 p.m.

The crowd is being led in singing Acheinu kol beis Yisrael by the Maccabeats.

2:50 p.m.

Relatives of hostages spoke to the crowd.

First was Orna Neutra, mother of Omer Neutra. Omer took a year off from his studies to spend a year in Israel, and he decided to enlist in the IDF. She spoke of how everyone is praying for his safe return.

Alana Zeitchik had six relatives who hid but had to leave when smoke filled the home. They were taken to Gaza and remain hostages. “It doesn’t need to be political to share in the grief that my family is feeling,” she said.

Rachel Goldberg, mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, shared the pain of the families, and questioned why the world is silent in the face of so many people, babies and children, being left to stay buried underground?” She mentioned how a Christian who saved Jews during WWII explained that he risked his life because at least when he faced his Maker, he will not be asked, “What did you do?”

Chants of “Bring them home” was heard from the crowd throughout the day.

2:43 p.m.

A moment of silence is being observed for the hostages.

2:35 p.m.

Ishay Ribo is leading the crowd in the recitation of Tehilim.

2:30 p.m.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) told how members of the Senate and House viewed video showing the atrocities carried out by Hamas during their attack. He spoke forcefully that the scourge of antisemitism must be eradicated, and how Jews must not be allowed to be threatened on college campuses and in the streets of America. He said the call of “from the river to the sea” is a call for the destruction of Israel and must not be allowed to stand.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) spoke how the Jewish people were violently attacked throughout history, and how the attack by Hamas is a continuation of the history of that antisemitism. “We stand together in the effort to stamp out antisemitism, we stand together with Israel in there right to defend themselves, and we stand together in demanding to bring the hostages home.”

Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) spoke to her visit to Israel before she was sworn in as a senator, and how three days after the heinous attack she met with members of the families and the leaders of Israel. “I am here to say, ‘We will not be quiet while antisemitism is rampant in America.’ How anyone can sympathize with these brutal terrorists is unfathomable. Those monsters (Hamas) deserve nothing short of complete and total destruction. The United states must remain resolute.”

2:15 p.m.

Bipartisan leaders of the Senate and House of Representatives came together to show that they stand with Israel.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said we must not forget the history of antisemitism and must be dealt with forcefully or it will grow.

“The United States stands with Israel and we must never let that happen,” Schumer said.

He spoke about the evil of Hamas, and how their charter speaks of killing Jews. He mentioned how when a bipartisan group of legislators met with families of the hostages, and how as the first Jewish Senate Majority Leader he felt an obligation to go. He told the crowd that he will see that Israel gets the assistance it needs.

2:00 p.m.

Deborah Lipstadt, Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, spoke about how the past five weeks showed that antisemitism is forever present. She assured the crowd that the Biden administration will not allow Jew hatred to proliferate in the streets of the United States and the government is committed to fight it both at home and abroad.

1:45 p.m.

President of Israel Isaac Herzog spoke via hookup from the Kosel, and he thank all who came to show solidarity with the people of Israel. He said that today, we come together as one mishpachah to march for good over evil, light over darkness. He mentioned how President Biden has stated that the savagery of Hamas brings to mind the brutality of ISIS, and he thanked the president and the political leaders for their moral clarity and their support. President Herzog decried the antisemitism which has reared its ugly head and it is an embarrassment that it is rampant in the streets across the world.

He ended with a prayer for the return of the hostages, the recovery of the injured, and the safety of the brave soldiers.

1:30 p.m.

After a rendition of the national anthem and a rousing cheer of “bring them home,” Natan (Anatoly) Sharansky, who was a Prisoner of Conscience refusenik in the Soviet Union for nine years, reminisced of how the march of quarter of a million people helped unlock the door of the Iron Curtain to free Soviet Jewry, and the importance of unity at this time. He decried the protests on college campuses that lauded the brutalities of Hamas’ gruesome attack.

1:15 p.m.

The first speakers spoke of the brutality of the attack, the need to bring the hostages home, to end the reign of terror of Hamas, and the need to call out antisemitism which has proliferated in the United States since the outbreak of the war in Israel.

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