OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Nearly 75 people from the Jewish Community in Kansas City are headed to Washington D.C. Tuesday to march for Israel.
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“People just feel helpless right now here in the United States, and you feel like you want to do something,” said Jay Lewis, president and CEO for the Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City. “Just screaming and yelling in your own house isn’t enough.”
The Anti-Defamation League is hosting the march for Israel, inviting Americans to condemn a rise in antisemitism, support of Israel and demand Hamas to release its hostages.
Since attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, ADL reports an almost 400% rise in antisemitic incidents.
“It’s a lot,” said Gavriela Geller, the executive director for the Jewish Community Relations Bureau. “It’s a lot to carry, and it’s a lot to carry if you are trying to carry it yourself.”
Geller and Lewis plan to attend the rally at the National Mall Tuesday afternoon along with thousands of people from across the country.
“I think it’s a testament to how much this moment means to all of us,” Geller said. “How much we are hurting and caring and in pain around what’s going on and the desire for all of us to come together and not feel alone but feel empowered in community with one another, standing up for our values.”
The march for Israel is planned to last from 1 to 3 p.m. D.C. time.
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