Dei'ah veDibur - Information & Insight
  

A Window into the Chareidi World

11 Tishrei 5767 - October 3, 2006 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
NEWS

OPINION
& COMMENT

OBSERVATIONS

HOME
& FAMILY

IN-DEPTH
FEATURES

VAAD HORABBONIM HAOLAMI LEINYONEI GIYUR

TOPICS IN THE NEWS

POPULAR EDITORIALS

HOMEPAGE

 

Produced and housed by
Shema Yisrael Torah Network
Shema Yisrael Torah Network

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEWS
40,000 at Pro-Israel Rally in New York

By R. Hoffner

An estimated 40,000 people gathered last week at the UN Building in Manhattan for a pro-Israel rally, one of the largest events in the Jewish community since the massive demonstrations for Soviet Jewry in the 1970s. The participants called for the unconditional return of the captured Israeli soldiers and objected to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's participation in the United Nations General Assembly meeting.

The mass demonstration was organized by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations (which actively lobbies for Israel) as a show of solidarity with the Jews in Israel and support for the war against global terrorism and countries that sponsor terrorism. Many participants carried signs bearing pictures of the kidnapped soldiers and calling for their immediate release. Agudath Israel also urged people to attend.

Organizers say 150 buses were used to bring the participants to the event, arriving from such faraway locations as California and Nebraska. Non-Jewish supporters also took part. "This sends a message to world leaders," said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice president of the Presidents Conference, "that we reject Ahmadinejad and the hatred and immorality he represents."

Other speakers included Foreign Minister Tzippi Livni, US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton and New York State Governor George Pataki. Appearances were also made by family members of the captured soldiers, who arrived straight from Israel and were impressed by the large turnout. "We were pleasantly surprised and went away with our strength bolstered," said Shlomo Goldwasser, the father of Ehud Goldwasser. "The message was clear: the boys must be sent back home and terror must be condemned." Ehud Goldwasser's wife demanded world leaders in the UN Building "stop talking and start acting."

 

All material on this site is copyrighted and its use is restricted.
Click here for conditions of use.