‘March for Israel’ brings mass to DC aimed at condemning antisemitism  

WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — American Jews and their allies are expected to rally at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Tuesday in support of Israel following the deadly Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks.

The March for Israel, coordinated by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, is expected to draw tens of thousands of Jews from across the United States.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated the rally a Special Event Assessment Rating (SEAR) Level 1 status event, two sources confirmed to NewsNation, meaning it will require extensive federal interagency support.

It’s comparable to their security assessment for an event like the Super Bowl. The Office of Operations Coordination applies a risk-based methodology that considers the threat, vulnerability and consequence of each event.

Eric Fingerhut, CEO of Jewish Federations of North America, said the march has three goals, The Times of Israel reports.

Attendants will demand the return of the more than 200 hostages Hamas terrorists kidnapped during its attack on Israel, Fingerhut said. They’ll also call for efforts to combat antisemitism, which has spiked worldwide since the attack. Additionally, they’ll demonstrate their support for the unabashed backing Israel has so far received from both parties in Congress and the Biden administration.

“All three elements are important to all of our communities,” Fingerhut said. “We’re proud of what our government has done” to support Israel, “but we want them to know how much support there is not only for what they’ve done, but also for the continued efforts that are going to be needed as this long conflict continues.”

Since Hamas’s attack, the Anti-Defamation League has recorded a nearly 400 percent increase in antisemitic hate crimes compared to last year.

Data from the Council of American Islamic Relations reveals there have been 1,283 reports of anti-Arab and Islamophobic bias in the last month. 

Organizers said there will also be a rally for students Tuesday to show solidarity with young people who have faced antisemitism on campuses across the nation.

Gil Preuss, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, said although the war is unfolding in the Middle East, it’s personal for American Jews.

“The past few weeks have been pretty challenging. As an American Jewish community many of us also have friends and relatives who live in Israel. So, my son personally lost two friends — one at the attack at the Music Festival and another one from shelling from Hezbollah in the north,” Preuss said. “We all know people who have relatives or others either murdered or kidnapped. So, this attack is not 6,000 miles away, but actually very close and personal.”

The rally comes following pro-Palestinian demonstrations in cities worldwide, including in Washington on Saturday. It aims to show that Israel enjoys just as much support.