While Israel faced a constant barrage of rockets from Gaza and harsh criticism in international settings, community members in the Middlesex County area gathered in Highland Park on Sunday morning, May 16, to demonstrate their strong support for the Jewish state. Close to 300 people marched the approximately half-mile route through the main thoroughfare to the rally location at the entrance of town, while chanting “Jewish blood isn’t cheap,” “Pro-Israel, pro-peace,” and “We stand for Israel.”
Members of local Orthodox, Conservative and Reform synagogues participated in the event, organized by Central New Jersey Cares for Israel. Attendees included families, couples and individuals of all ages—some with children in strollers or pushing the wheelchair-bound. Some came on bicycles, or walking their dogs, with one person altering the route of their morning run to join in.
Following a welcome and recitation of Tehillim by rally organizers Michael Gordon and Rabbi Shmuelie Greene, speakers presented their reasons for supporting Israel and why the fighting and escalation of violence is of concern. In his welcome, Gordon noted that “Israel is family,” and our enemies want Jews everywhere to be humiliated and annihilated.
Andrew Getraer, executive director of Rutgers Hillel, described how every rocket is aimed at one of his family members in Israel. He noted it was ironic that the first ones to die in the current rocket barrage into Israel were Israeli Arabs, and that more Arabs have died in rocket accidents and misfires over the years than have died from Israeli air strikes. But the media doesn’t report that information; it perpetuates the “social media pogrom” that demonizes Israel. “The IDF is the only thing that stands between us and the next Holocaust,” he said. We need to show we are here to stand for human rights and to free the Palestinians from Hamas so they can live in a better world.
Josh Fine, Highland Park councilman, spoke about the need to ACCT (activism, charity and contact, and tefillah). He emphasized the need to continually advocate for the state of Israel, contact our elected officials to urge support of HR 261 to keep Hamas from accessing funds, and to offer charity to Magen David Adom, the Israeli ambulance corps.
Joyce Leslie, whose daughter lives in Israel and is under constant threat of rocket fire, stated that she keeps her phone on WhatsApp constantly so that she can see if her daughter is OK. Rockets from Gaza shooting into Sderot are not new occurrences, but the rockets now have longer range and are more accurate—and threaten all cities and towns in Israel. She added that if Israel does not respond now, it will happen again. “We are here showing our support to give Israeli citizens strength.”
Lisa Ben Chaim of Highland Park spoke about her son who is in the Israeli Air Force and was called to his base. She is frightened for him, but very proud of what he is doing. She is also angry that rallies have to be continually held to support Israel and the Jewish people, and that the threats and violence against Jews continue.
Rally-goers were united in their reasoning for spending their pre-holiday morning supporting Israel. Ike Dresdner, of Highland Park, noted that he wasn’t a “rally or protest type,” but his presence was critical in showing the world that people care about Israel.
Max and Honey Wisotsky, Highland Park, both thought that showing unity with their besieged brethren and family in Israel was very important in this time of crisis. “We hear their many stories, from all over Israel now, not just from Sderot,” which had previously borne the brunt of most rocket attacks from Gaza. “Now the entire country is under siege. And of course, the street fighting is an added nightmare to now endure. These events give us flashbacks to Kristallnacht, in Nazi Germany in November 1938.”
Rabbi Greene noted that the rally “isn’t only about Israel. It is about the Jews and their right to exist.” Enemies of the Jews explicitly state that they attack Jews just because they are Jews and it has nothing to do with Israel. “Their desire is to humiliate, degrade, and kill us. Our response is to stand proud as Jews and never cower.”
Gordon noted the short window of time that was available to prepare and get the rally organized. Knowing that most attendees would be busy with holiday preparations, he still felt many people would join. “We are doing this for families preparing for the holiday in cramped bomb shelters. We can take an hour out of our day to support them.” Gordon summed up the situation in Israel as being “one-way math. If Hamas stops shooting rockets, there will be peace; If Israel stops shooting rockets there will be annihilation of Israel.”
