GOA Attends The March For Israel

By Henry Sacks ‘26
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Approximately 300,000 people gathered on the National Mall in Washington D.C at the March For Israel, a rally to show support for Israel in their ongoing fight against Hamas.
“I was so proud of the GOA students, parents, and staff who made this their priority,” said Head of School Rabbi Nevins.  “It wasn’t an easy day, physically or emotionally, but it allowed us to bring our values to life,” he said. 

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The rally, organized by the Jewish Federation of North America, had three main purposes: “to march for Israel, to march for the release of the hostages, and to march against antisemitism.” 
It was evident that there was a high level of Jewish pride throughout the crowd.
GOA junior Aly Biloon said, “I could not be more proud to be Jewish and stand with my people to show the world our love for Israel.”
According to the official event website, MarchForIsrael.org, the march was, “An opportunity for all Americans to come together in solidarity with the people of Israel, to demonstrate our commitment to America's most important ally in the Middle East, to condemn the rising trend of antisemitic violence and harassment, and to demand that every hostage be immediately and safely released." 
The rally featured a diverse lineup of speakers, including government officials, actors, singers and speeches made by family members of hostages currently being held in Gaza. 
Despite competing political and religious views among the presenters and throughout the crowd, partisanship was put aside for the day. Speakers from both chambers and parties of the legislative branch spoke to support this common cause.
Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa said, “We are here today as Republicans and Democrats to assure you that we will not shrink back and shudder in fear.”
In fact, there was a segment of the rally dedicated to religious allies, when Christian and Muslim figures discussed their partnership with and steadfast support for the State of Israel and the Jewish Community.  
The March for Israel was designated as a Level One Security event in the United States, which allowed for a strong presence of federal law enforcement throughout the city, especially on Capitol Hill. Law enforcement officials reported that there were no safety threats before or during the march.
Once the rally was announced, the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest reserved over 40 buses to help students and participants make the journey to and from D.C., with 17buses allotted to local Jewish day schools.
On the Monday before the rally Dr. Apter addressed GOA students in 8th through 12th grades to discuss the purpose and goals of the march, safety, and other logistics. Dr. Apter explained how all students’ voices will be heard in our outpouring of support for Israel. 
Golda Och Academy traveled on three buses: the 8th and 9th Graders on one, the 10th graders on one, and the 11th graders on one.  Seniors were split up among the three buses where they were able to interact with and model behavior for underclassmen.
To stay organized and prioritize students’ safety, each bus had an adult captain and multiple adult chaperones assisting throughout the entire trip. Each chaperone had a smaller group of 6-8 students whom they were responsible for during the rally. To stay visible, chaperones held GOA signs while walking.
Junior Brandon Sternthal said, “GOA handled the day extremely well. The teachers took on a really big responsibility in monitoring us students, and it was a great success.”
GOA’s buses joined many others parked at Robert F Kennedy Stadium in D.C., where passengers on the buses received free Metro Cards to take Metro trains to the Smithsonian station.
Sophomore Marley Fischer said, “The moment I exited the Metro stop and saw how many people were gathered for a common cause, I felt so proud to be part of such a historic event for the Jewish people.”
People were seen wearing Israeli Flags, holding placards of hostages, and joining frequent chants of “Bring Them Home!”
Throughout the day, emotions fluctuated between grief, sadness, anger, hope, joy and gratitude. 
For example, Orna Neutra, the mother of Omer who is being held hostage, expressed her anger and sadness. “From a place of deep pain, we hold strong for you, Omer. We speak in your name, tirelessly… Omer you’re not just my beloved son, you touch so many in deep and profound ways,” she said.
After many profound and heavy speeches, famous Israeli singers Ishay Ribo and Omer Adam sang together to lift attendees’ spirits and pride.
GOA students and staff left the rally slightly early to reduce the difficulty of departure. Some groups took the Metro back to RFK stadium while other groups walked back. 
Groups then loaded the buses and departed for the Maryland House rest stop where boxed dinners were picked up to be eaten on the road. 
“Many years ago, the great Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel said that when he marched for civil rights in Selma, Alabama, he felt that his feet were praying. It was the same for us in Washington—in a time of deep concern for our beloved State of Israel, we prayed with our feet,” said Rabbi Nevins.

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