Demonstrators gather to ‘March for Israel’ on National Mall amid tight security
A group of 25 people from Youngstown joined tens of thousands Tuesday afternoon on the National Mall in Washington for an “Americans March for Israel, March to Free Hostages, March Against Anti-semitism” demonstration.
“The March for Israel will be an opportunity for all Americans to come together in solidarity with the people of Israel, to demonstrate our commitment to America’s most important ally in the Middle East, to condemn the rising trend of anti-semitic violence and harassment and to demand that every hostage be immediately and safely released,” march organizers said in a statement.
On Oct. 7, the terrorist group Hamas, based in Gaza, launched a surprise attack on Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 240 people hostage. Israel has since launched an air and ground offensive in Gaza, killing more than 11,000 people.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN that Israel is “doing everything we can around the clock” to free the hostages.
“It’s important for the country to see that there are people who support the right of Israel to exist and to defend itself,” Steven Lewis, who is helping to organize the march, said Monday.
Youngstown Jewish Federation participates
Bonnie Deutsch Burdman is the executive director for community relations and government affairs at the Youngstown Area Jewish Federation; she said she’s been with the Jewish Federation for over 27 years.
She participated with fellow Jewish Federation members in the March for Israel.
“Our community was one of many communities around the country that’s part of a delegation of 290,000 people,” Deutsch Burdman said. “We came together to march on behalf of the State of Israel March for the 240 hostages that are still being held in captivity inside Gaza by Hamas, and to march against the alarming uptick in anti-semitism that we’re seeing as a result of all of this.”
According to Deutsch Burdman, the march helped community members feel less alone and supported by state representatives.
“Prior to the rally, a number of us from Ohio were up on Capitol Hill meeting with both Senators Brown and Vance, and virtually every member of the Ohio congressional delegation including Congressman Johnson, and the message was unanimous and clear. It was we support Israel, we stand with Israel and we stand with the Jewish people,” she said.
United Press International contributed to this report.
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This story was originally published November 15, 2023 at 2:11 PM with the headline "Demonstrators gather to ‘March for Israel’ on National Mall amid tight security."