Am Yisrael Chai  

Am Yisrael Chai  

There are no words to describe how incredible it was to be a part of the March for Israel in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.  I witnessed an outpouring of support for our brothers and sisters in Israel unlike any I have ever experienced from here in the United States.  From the youngest to the oldest of us, we stood shoulder to shoulder in solidarity, affirming Israel’s right to defend herself, demanding the release of hostages, standing up against rising antisemitism here and abroad, and applauding the strong level of support offered by our current government.  After the deadliest attack on the Jewish people since the Holocaust, it was only fitting that 290,000 of us responded with the largest gathering in support of Israel in the U.S. 

The messages were clear and rooted in Jewish values and prayers.  From biblical verses meaningfully embedded in remarks, such as: “The voice of your brothers’ blood cries out to me from the ground” and “Let my people go,” to the words written by George Washington in 1790 to the Jewish community of Newport, RI that the United States would give “to bigotry no sanction.”  There were only messages of peace and freedom for all the people suffering under the Hamas regime.  American flags were flown proudly.  Jews of every background, practice, and color stood united.  Representatives from both sides of the political spectrum stood hand in hand in one unified message of support.  We were moved to tears by the pleas of the parents of the hostages begging that we do not forget about their children who were being buried alive in Gaza.   

I am deeply grateful for the incredible effort put forth by Jeff Blumer, the new director of the Jewish Community Relations Council who was able to galvanize a group of about 25 people from Dayton in such a short time.  Working with the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati, he helped ensure we represented our community loudly and proudly.   

It was especially meaningful to me that we were able to be together with the Cincinnati community.  I have spent the last few weeks deeply disturbed by the rising levels of antisemitic behaviors on college campuses, including my own alma mater, Northwestern University.  As we rode the bus from Cincinnati to D.C., I was surrounded by students from the University of Cincinnati.  Personally, I can only hope that my own children will grow up to be like them.  They were mature, level-headed, and unwavering in their Jewish identities. I was so impressed as a young man sat behind me making call after call in an effort to retrieve video footage from vandalization that took place at his fraternity house.  Though he didn’t claim it was deliberately antisemitic, it sure sounded like it to me.  After his calls, he worked to galvanize other students to offer testimony about antisemitism on campus when they returned.  My heart has been deeply affected by the isolation our children are feeling on college campuses, including those who are recent graduates and still deeply connected through social media.  I could see how having the opportunity to be held in solidarity by 290,000 like-minded people eased their burden and lifted their spirits, as much or even more so than my own. 

As we enter the month of Kislev and now as we prepare for Thanksgiving, I am once again filled with light, gratitude, and renewed hope for Israel and the Jewish people.   

Am Yisrael Chai.