Hillel Charters Plane, Sends Students to Pro-Israel Rally

Roughly 100 Harvard students joined over 100,000 individuals from around the nation and the world yesterday at the Israel Solidarity Rally in Washington.

Organizers said it was the largest pro-Israel rally held in the United States since Israel became a state in 1948.

The gathering wrapped around the Capitol as people congregated to hear nearly four hours of speeches from prominent individuals including former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani and New York Gov. George Pataki.

Harvard graduate and undergraduate students filled 85 of the approximately 320 seats on two planes chartered by the Combined Jewish Philanthropies for those in the Boston area.

The organization gave students a subsidized rate of $140 for the round-trip, which left yesterday morning.

The plane trip was advertised by Harvard Hillel.

In addition, a 50-person bus organized by Hillel—costing students only $10—left from Rosovky Hall late Sunday.

“[It was] a tremendous statement that so many people took a day off of school,” said Benjamin Z. Galper ’02, the former student president of Harvard Hillel. “Some students spent 18 hours of a 24-hour period on a bus.”

Since the rally was put together in one week, Harvard Hillel had only two days with which to arranged and publicize transport to Washington.

Harvard students who attended the rally said the trip was an incredible experience. Even before arrival at the Capitol, the chartered bus and planes were filled with singing and general enthusiasm.

“A lot of people were expressing their hopes and their feelings,” said Joseph H. Weintraub ’05. “Then, on the way back, there was a lot of reflecting on where we should go from here.”

The rally came at a particularly apt time. Violence in the Middle East has erupted in recent weeks, with Israeli army occupation of Palestinian cities and a growing number of Palestinian suicide bombings.

Yet while the Harvard students in attendance said the rally urged the Bush administration to support Israel and refuse negotiations with the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, the overwhelming call of the rally was for peace in Israel.

Giuliani’s speech called Israel “an oasis of freedom in a desert of totalitarianism.”

The former mayor reflected on Israel’s support for the U.S. in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.

“I remember the attack on my city and I remember your being with me to help and to assist,” Giuliani said. “Israel stood with us shoulder to shoulder.”

Harvard students at the rally said they were impressed how a diverse group of Americans—both Jews and gentiles—came together to show support for Israel. They stood shoulder to shoulder on the groups of the Capitol chanting and holding pro-Israel signs.

“The unity of Americans behind this cause was truly inspiring,” Jonathan M. Gribetz ’02, vice president of Harvard Students for Israel, wrote in an e-mail.

According to Harvard students, the rally should send the message to the people of Israel that Americans support their cause.

“It is perception both among American Jews and Israeli Jews that America is not being vocal enough about the Jewish cause,” said Moshe Y. Spinowitz ’02. “[This rally] is the first part of continued support.”

The rally was sponsored by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the United Jewish Communities.

—Material from the Associated Press was used in this story.

—Staff writer Jeslyn A. Miller can be reached at jmiller@fas.harvard.edu.