Jews pray in front of the White House as crowds arrive for the March for Israel, Nov. 14, 2023. Photo by Avi Weiss

WASHINGTON — Hundreds of Jews, heads bowed in prayer, wearing yarmulkes and tallit, prayed in front of the White House as the March for Israel got underway Tuesday.

A man in a black hat and coat triumphantly hoisted a partially unfurled Torah scroll aloft, framed by a sunny blue sky above and the rooflines of the White House on the horizon, while others danced in small circles, singing “Am Yisroel Chai.”

Thousands of people turned out for the rally on the National Mall, which had three stated purposes: to show support for Israel, to support freeing the hostages and to condemn antisemitism. But the phrase “no cease-fire” was also a rallying cry. That’s what the demonstrators chanted in dissent after CNN contributor Van Jones called for both an end to Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza and to Hamas rockets.

And that’s what they chanted in support after House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-LA, said “the calls for a ceasefire are outrageous. Israel will cease their counteroffensive when Hamas ceases to be a threat to the Jewish state.”

 U.S. Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., delivered a similar message to Johnson’s: “Israel must do to Hamas what America did to ISIS in the 21st century. It must do to Hamas what America did to the Nazis in the 20th century.” 

A pastor and a Muslim activist — but no rabbi

The official list of speakers for the rally included Pastor John Hagee, founder of the Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas, and Anila Ali, a Muslim women’s rights activist. But no rabbis were on the list.

Others scheduled to take the dais included actors Tovah Feldshuh and Debra Messing; Ambassadors Deborah Lipstadt and Michael Herzog; former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky; family members of hostages; heads of Jewish organizations; and a number of politicians, including U.S. Rep. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

“Choose Israel or Hamas,” Hagee told the crowd. “There is no middle ground in this conflict. You’re either for the Jewish people or you’re not.” He added: “Israel’s victory will come when Hamas and Hezbollah are in the ash heap of history along with Haman and Hitler. There is no substitute for victory!”

Not everyone was glad to see Hagee. “What an outrage, listening to John Hagee — a f—ing antisemitic/islamophobic ghoul — address the rally in DC,” tweeted actor Josh Malina. Others agreed, tweeting that it was shocking and a “blight on our cause” that Hagee was invited to speak.

Hagee, head of Christians United for Israel, one of the largest pro-Israel lobbies in the U.S., has made various antisemitic statements over the years, including in an old sermon in which he asserted that Hitler was sent by God to push Jews to return to Israel.

Ben Lorber, a senior research analyst for Political Research Associates, a nonprofit focusing on progressive issues, tweeted that several thousand people from groups like Hagee’s had been mobilized through churches, campuses and online networks. Lorber said he was “seeing signs with racist Islamophobic caricatures” from those contingents.

Signs and Stars of David

The sea of faces on the mall was dotted with blue-and-white Israeli flags, from tiny hand-held flags to massive banners fluttering in the breeze, along with the occasional American flag. Some wrapped flags around their shoulders, like a tallit or a shawl, so that anyone facing the stage would see Stars of David on the backs of those standing in front of them. One young woman fashioned a large flag into a full-length coat.

Many held signs honoring victims of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks in which 1,200 people were murdered and 240 taken hostage. “We are here for Azriel,” read one sign. “We are here for Eliad Ohayon,” read another.

Elsewhere in the crowd, someone held up a sign that read, “Notice how we don’t cover our faces?” — a sly taunt directed at pro-Palestinian protesters who have been photographed wearing masks. Another sign read, “If you keep saying ‘Free Palestine,’ us Jews are gonna take it. We love free stuff!”

But a tweet from the Israeli government was heartfelt: “Thank you to each and every one of our Jewish and non-Jewish brothers, sisters and allies. Your support during this difficult time means everything to us and we feel your love always, but especially today.”

Matisyahu sings ‘One Day’

Near the end of the rally, the alt-rock Jewish reggae and hip-hop star Matisyahu took the stage with the Maccabeats and sang his beautiful, soulful anthem for peace, “One Day,” whose lyrics include, “All my life, I’ve been waitin’ for/I’ve been prayin’ for, for the people to say/That we don’t wanna fight no more/There’ll be no more wars, and our children will play.”

He inserted the Shema prayer into the song, prompting one fan to tweet: “Somehow that full-throated ‘Shema Yisrael’ verse by @matisyahu with G-d’s name inserted into his ‘One Day’ classic near the end of #MarchForIsrael rally in Washington DC really resonated.”

“Goose bumps!!” posted someone else. “His most appropriate song of love and peace for all. One Day. Soooon I hope!”

Forward staffers Arno Rosenfeld, Camillo Barone, Jake Wasserman,  Nora Berman and Jacob Kornbluh contributed to this report.

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