There is something incredibly powerful about spending the day with 290,000 friends.
But let us not forget what it took to bring those friends together –
On Tuesday, members of Temple Beth Sholom traveled to Washington DC, where over a quarter-million people came together for the March for Israel. Organized by the Federations of America, the march aimed to demonstrate the broad and diverse support that Israel has to defend herself after the horrors of October 7th. The march was also an opportunity for Israel’s supporters to hear from the families of hostages and for all of us to stand together against rising levels of antisemitism.
For me personally, the march was a reminder that we are not alone. Despite so much negativity about Israel on campuses and in the media, there are so many who recognize Israel’s moral case, who understand the challenge of facing an enemy that uses human shields, who care about the welfare of hostages and do not ask for ceasefires without the hostages’ release, who support Palestinian self-determination while still recognizing Israel’s right to exist—I saw so many yesterday who share our convictions and our values—who struggle with the way that Israel is portrayed in the public and who share a desire to combat mistruth.
The march yesterday reminded me that together, we have a voice – that we have legitimate power to make a difference in the current debate.
But we cannot do it separately and we cannot do it without strong Jewish communities.
We as Jews need to organize and to connect and to build – we can no longer allow our Judaism to be a private affair that is disconnected from other Jews. We need to collectively support our Federations and our Hillels and our Jewish Community Centers and yes, our synagogues. We need to join the boards of these institutions and support them financially. We need to consider becoming Jewish professionals ourselves and encouraging others to do the same.
Marches like yesterday do not happen when Jews forget their obligation to support Jewish community. They only happen because enough Jews are willing to support the organizations and institutions and synagogues that create them.
The march yesterday was a reminder of our potential – our potential to change the debate and to clarify the truth around Israel. The march was a reminder of our collective power to protect Israel, to bring home the hostages, to end antisemitism and yes, to eventually begin paths of peace. But none of that is possible without strong Jewish communities – without Jews who support and maintain these communities.
Yes, there is something incredibly powerful about spending time with 290,000 friends – but bringing such friends together takes organizing and that organizing takes investment– it takes supporting and participating in Jewish community.
We have the potential to make a difference — if only we have the willingness to support that which allows us to do so…
