By Ben Sales, Ron Kampeas and Jackie Hajdenberg
Carol Berkower came to the March for Israel rally in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 14, wearing a J Street shirt. But Berkower, a science writer who lives in Mount Washington, wasn’t looking to convince anyone at the gathering about the merits of the progressive Israel lobbying group or for a two-state solution in the Middle East.
What brought Berkower to the National Mall was concern for her cousin who lives in Kfar Aza, a kibbutz ravaged by Hamas during the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks in southern Israel in which 1,200 people were killed and 240 kidnapped.
Also, Berkower’s daughter is a student at the University of Rochester, and Berkower wanted to be part of a large crowd showing solidarity with Jewish college students and opposition to skyrocketing antisemitism.
“I think we’re all together,” she said of the rallygoers. “Everyone I know in Israel is traumatized right now, so I’ve been doing everything I absolutely could to stand for it.”
Berkower was among the more than 290,000 people — according to organizers — from all over the nation who attended the three-hour rally. Scores of buses from Baltimore’s synagogues, institutions and Jewish schools ferried local Jews and others to the gathering, which was considered the largest Jewish demonstration in U.S. history. (An additional 250,000 people watched the event through a live stream, organizers said.)
Amid particularly tight security, many locals also took the MARC train from Penn Station to the rally, which was organized by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Other Baltimoreans simply drove into D.C.
Local coordination of more than 70 buses to the rally was overseen by The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore, the Baltimore Zionist District, and a number of congregations and schools.
“We stand here in a city often divided by partisan lines, but not when it comes to Israel,” said Harriet P. Schleifer, board chair of the Conference of Presidents. “Democrats and Republicans stand together, supporting the Israeli people as they seek peace, justice and the safe return of hostages.”
Schleifer praised President Joe Biden, who has asked Congress to send more than $14 billion in emergency assistance to Israel. “President Joe Biden has been the steadiest ally and champion of our shared values,” she said. “We are grateful for his leadership.”
Among the speakers at the rally were Israeli President Isaac Herzog (via video link); Israeli politician and former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky; Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa); CNN analyst Van Jones; actors Tovah Feldshuh, Debra Messing and Michael Rappaport; conservative evangelical Pastor John Hagee; Orna Neutra, mother of Israeli hostage Omer Neutra, and Rachel Goldberg, mother of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
“I know you are alone,” Messing told the attendees. “I know you are afraid, I know you feel abandoned by people you thought were friends. Looking out today I know we are not alone, because we have each other.”
Said Hagee: “There is no middle ground in this conflict — you’re either for the Jewish people or you’re not.”
The crowd was a mix of young and old, with a large proportion of Orthodox attendees, in part a reflection of the decision by Jewish day schools and universities to cancel classes and transport students — and in some cases, their families — to Washington. Clusters of observant men gathered outside the event before the rally started for afternoon prayers.
Politically, attendees seemed to reflect the broad pro-Israel tent that the organizers hoped for, with right-wing demonstrators standing in the same crowd as a “Peace Bloc” organized by progressive Jewish groups. Signs mostly declared broad support for Israel, opposition to antisemitism, a call to free the hostages or condemnation of Hamas. Many held the hostage posters that have become a common sight in cities across the world, with more strewn in spots across the Mall.
“Israel and all of the world should see that it happened, this tragedy occurred, and we have hostages, there are still families there, we want them back as fast as possible,” said Philadelphia resident Orna Tussia. “Bring back the captives, and then we’ll deal with the rest. First of all, bring back the captives.”
Jewish teacher Marnie Atias flew in for the rally from Milwaukee with her 15-year-old daughter. Atias’ older daughter moved to Israel shortly before the Oct. 7 attack and works at Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem.
“When I heard about this rally, I felt it was so important to come and bring my daughter so that we can be here and stand with everyone,” Atias said. “The world can see that we are together.”
In her speech, Dr. Deborah E. Lipstadt, the Biden administration’s special envoy for monitoring and combating antisemitism, said to attendees, “Do not cower, allow no one to make you afraid. The message is built into the Jewish people’s most ancient history — Jews are strongest in their most broken places.”
Ben Sales, Ron Kampeas and Jackie Hajdenberg write for the JTA global Jewish news source. Jmore staff contributed to this report.
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