Sunday’s pro-Israel rally in Washington, D.C. featured Black, white, Israeli, American, Indigenous, Latino, Jewish, and non-Jewish guest speakers, all with the same message: the Jewish community must stand together in unity.
An estimated 2,000 supporters of Israel gathered at Nationals Park, a starkly smaller turnout than last November’s March for Israel drew hundreds of thousands to the nation’s capital shortly after Oct. 7.
The event titled “Stand Together,” organized by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, featured speeches by Ambassadors Michael Herzog and Dan Shapiro, Congress members, United States Olympic gold medalist Amit Elor, soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces, relatives of three of the hostages and college students.
Actress and comedian Tiffany Haddish, who emceed the event, addressed the 101 hostages still held in Gaza, rising antisemitism and Jewish college students “facing hatred on campuses”: “Right now, we’re living through one of the hardest chapters of our story.”
Togetherness can help through difficult times, Haddish said, reflecting on her personal life.
“Like many of you, I learned that life’s hardest moments can lead to our greatest grace, from foster care to homelessness to finding my truth, both as an artist and as a Jew,” she said to cheers from the crowd. “That’s why what we’re doing here matters. 150 organizations spanning every branch of Jewish life coming together.”
Haddish went on to say that unity doesn’t equate to agreeing on everything. Instead, “it’s about standing together when it matters most. Right now, it matters more than ever.”
The speeches, condemning antisemitism and calling for the release of the hostages, were interspersed with musical performances by Israeli singer-songwriter Idan Raichel and John Ondrasik.
Known by his stage name Five for Fighting, Ondrasik announced that it doesn’t take a Jewish identity to support Israel. The singer-songwriter, who said he isn’t Jewish, wrote his original song “OK” about Oct. 7 in protest of Hamas, which he performed at the Nov. 10 event.
“I’ve seen how music can make a powerful difference in times like this,” Ondrasik told JTA.
He expressed disappointment that he hasn’t seen other artists “pushing back” against the threats and hatred he said people receive for supporting Israel, adding that some of his fellow musicians fear losing ticket sales by speaking out: “That’s the same argument they used in 1938,” Ondrasik told JTA.
Rep. Ritchie Torres also spoke about the importance of standing in solidarity with the Jewish community.
“People often ask me, ‘Ritchie, you’re not Jewish; you’re Black, you’re a Latino. Why do you speak out so forcefully and frequently against antisemitism?’” Torres said at the event. “And I simply reply, ‘The question is not, why have I chosen to speak out? The question is, why have others chosen to be silent amid the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust?”
Lani Anpo, who is a multitribal Native American and Diaspora Jew, works as an advocate for global Indigenous and Jewish communities. She said world leaders’ and organizations’ failure to condemn the Oct. 7 attack has resulted in a sharp rise in antisemitism internationally, which Anpo said is reminiscent of the “early stages of the Holocaust.”
Anpo added that this failure also negatively affects Indigenous rights worldwide, as she said she views Israel as the Jewish homeland.
“Solidarity to protect our Jewish and Israeli relatives, Indigenous rights and humanity is more critical now than ever,” Anpo said to the crowd. “We should be able to recognize the war on Palestinian children and citizens without distorting reality or scapegoating Jews for the actions and consequences of Palestinian militants. Beneath the trauma and radical ideologies creating division, we are relatives. Our roots are as deeply intertwined as olive trees.”
Eric Fingerhut, the CEO of JFNA, echoed this sentiment of standing as one in a Nov. 10 press release.
“Today reminded us that even in these difficult times there is so much more that binds us together than divides us,” Fingerhut said in the statement. “Time and time again, our history has taught us that only when we are united are we strong enough to survive, grow and flourish, and today has given me incredible hope for the future.”
As the event was held the day before Veterans Day, speakers including Haddish thanked the troops for their courage and sacrifice. Some songs performed were in honor of Israel’s “fallen heroes.”
Israeli Maj. Gen. Dan Goldfus, who spoke at the event, described the horrors he experienced on Oct. 7.
“The past 401 days have served as a stark reminder of why we fight,” Goldfus said. “We fight for freedom, for security and for the future of our children. And when I see you all today, supporting us, I know we will succeed.”
Staff of The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore organized a bus to take community members to D.C., while hundreds more drove themselves. Michelle Gordon, the chief of staff of The Associated, estimated that about 500 Baltimoreans attended the rally.
“There was a really high level of energy when you got to the event, and [there were] a lot of young people,” Gordon said. “So it was really wonderful to see Jews of all different ages and different denominations. People were just excited about being together and being there.”
Gordon said the energy this year differed from last November’s rally in D.C., with much less of a political and heavy-hearted mood, likely because people have felt worn down over the past year and this demonstration of unity inspired a greater sense of hope.
“There was power in being together, celebrating that and being reminded that we are strong and resilient and that we don’t look alike all the time, but we are one people,” Gordon said.
Braden Hamelin contributed reporting to this article.
