Reflecting on the March for Israel in Washington D.C.
Miriam Dancziger attended the rally with a delegation from the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis.
As I sit on the bus back to Indiana, I have so many thoughts and feelings about the rally in DC today. My biggest takeaway right now is how proud we Jews are to be Jewish. From the most observant to the least affiliated, we were all there together today, proclaiming our love of G-d, Israel, and the Jewish nation.
I have experienced a range of emotions this past month, from fear and despair to hope and empowerment. But today all I feel is pride. There were members of our holy tribe everywhere I turned. It was thrilling to learn how many distant cities from which people travelled, to chat with the attendees who stood near me, to be cheered by Israelis in the Pentagon City mall for wearing a sweatshirt with a Magen David, and to stop at a rest stop and observe men praying Maariv.
I am grateful to the Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis for chartering the bus that allowed me to attend this momentous event. Jeff Linkon went out of his way to accommodate me and all of my fellow travelers. Thank you to all of my bus mates for befriending me and for allowing me to sanctify our trip by reciting Tefillas Haderech aloud. I hope this will be the beginning of a beautiful relationship. An extra thank you is owed to our friends who are not Jewish but support us in our time of need. We are grateful to have you on our side!
Perhaps the most meaningful part of my day was singing Acheinu with hundreds of thousands of my brothers and sisters. I couldn’t stop the tears as we all felt the pain of the hostages, their families, and the families of those who have been murdered. I pray that G-d sees our unity and accepts our prayers, and brings an end to this war and to all the pain we are suffering. G-d, look at your children setting aside their differences and bridging the gaps to help each other! We are all striving to come closer to You! G-d, when will our suffering be enough?
I would like to urge us all to push ourselves a tiny bit more, to try a tiny bit harder. It doesn’t matter in what area. Do what you can. And then if you are able, do a tiny bit more. G-d sees all of our efforts, and this may be enough to bring the redemption.
Miriam Dancziger
Community Contributor