On November 14, 2023, nearly 80 years after 500 Rabbis from NYC marched alone at the White House to demand attention and response for the atrocities the Nazis were committing against Jews in Europe, we were witness to a historic first as Israel and the Jewish population globally experience the greatest manifestation of Jew-hatred and genocidal sentiments since the Holocaust. October 7, 2023, was the darkest day in the 21st Century as the cycle of demonic hatred against God’s people emerged yet again, but this time in the sovereign land of Israel.
This time, the Jewish community did not march alone. Tens of thousands of Christians made their way to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. to support and stand in solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people. This time, the Jewish people are not alone.
Unlike the surge of pro-Hamas rallies that celebrate the carnage and twist history using violence, vandalism, and masked faces with hostile hearts to disseminate their narrative, this rally was peaceful, productive, and full of kind faces with both smiles and tears. Inspirational speakers and talented musicians resonated messages of hope in a time of upheaval.
This pro-Israel rally aimed to present three distinct topics:
1. To call for the unwavering support of the US Government and the US people for Israel and its need to defeat terrorism and eliminate the faction that plotted and committed the Oct. 7 war crimes: to secure its own existence and citizens.
2. To remember and demand the release of all 240 Hostages being held in Gaza and whose families are tormented by the unknown fate and whereabouts of their loved ones.
3. To call out and denounce all forms of antisemitism and anti-Zionism that manifest on US soil, including uninhibited hostility on college campuses by professors, administrations, and students who are creating a wicked environment. Jewish students and faculty are physically threatened, emotionally abused, locked in libraries, and hunkered down in dorm rooms to hear chants by fellow students including “Hitler was Right” or “Gas the Jews” or “Hamas, Hamas, Hamas.”
Following the Rally at the National Mall, Shelley Neese and I were invited to a small reception on Capitol Hill hosted by The Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, The Israel Allies Foundation, and The Jerusalem Post. This small gathering included bipartisan Congressional leadership, Israeli officials, and family members of hostages and Oct. 7 victims. Hearing directly from these witnesses the testimony of fighting a war on their own land, while mourning their dead and searching for their missing, was life-changing. These issues are not simply headlines or social media video clips…. Looking into the eyes of the people who ache for their loved ones brought tears to all our eyes, even to the most seasoned fighter or political dignitary.
The Jerusalem Connection is dedicated to and resolutely stands with Israel and the Jewish people. Praying without ceasing, reporting on world events, providing coverage and platforms for individuals with personal testimony, and organizations providing aid and resources for the physical battle—we will remain a conduit for support, comfort, and aid. The ongoing public relations battle and the information war, as well as the battle to overcome apathy and even the world’s disdain, will not be ignored. We will let our Jewish brothers and sisters know we stand with, beside, in front, and behind them.
Am Israel Chai
Please enjoy this montage of photos and videos of Nov. 14, 2023, in Washington, D.C.
I will plant Israel in their own land, never again to be uprooted
from the land I have given them,” says the Lord your God.
Amos 9:15