Vanderbilt students and community members traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to partake in the “March for Israel” on Nov. 14. The participants included Rabbi Shlomo Rothstein, director of Vanderbilt Chabad, who traveled with a group of 23 students.
AP News reported that up to 100,000 Israel supporters attended the event. However, event organizers — Jewish Federations of North America and Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations — state the rally yielded 290,000 participants. Prior to the event, organizers estimated that 60,000 people would attend.
Rothstein shared that the group’s trip to D.C. was funded by Chabad’s operating budget, as well as private donors and philanthropic organizations that work to combat antisemitism and prejudice against Israel. He did not respond to The Hustler’s request for comment regarding whether all students who were funded to attend were members of Chabad.
“Going to the rally was such a special experience,” sophomore Alexandra Luskin said. “The unity and Jewish pride I felt throughout the whole day was so beautiful, and seeing also so many non-Jewish people stand with us means the world.”
Rothstein told The Hustler that the group’s reason for attending was to advocate for the safe return of the nearly 240 hostages taken by Hamas, as well as the broader protection of Israel. On Nov. 21, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said that he and Israel are “close to reaching a truce agreement” which involves Hamas’s release of 50 hostages — mostly women and children — in exchange for a four- or five-day ceasefire, humanitarian aid and the release of 150 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. If agreed upon, the release of hostages would begin within the next several days.
“We showed up and stood up for what we believe in; sang and prayed for the safe return of the hostages, an end to the increasing antisemitism around the world and for the security of Israel,” Rothstein said.
Senior Ryan Bauman, president of the unregistered Vanderbilt chapter of Students Supporting Israel, echoed Rothstein’s comments, emphasizing the shared goal of supporting Israel.
“Jews, non-Jews, Israelis, Americans and more, everyone was there for the sole reason of supporting Israel and the Jewish people,” Bauman said. “It was incredibly moving.”
Rothstein added that the rally reaffirmed his and the other students’ commitment to their advocacy against Hamas and antisemitism. He pointed to an uptick in “hateful and hurtful” messages that have contributed to Jewish students feeling isolated and afraid.
“Being at the rally made us feel that we are not alone, that there are many people who stand against antisemitism, support Israel and denounce the atrocities and terrorism of Hamas,” Rothstein said. “It means that we are part of a caring Jewish and human family that are willing to speak up to protect each other.”
