The rally in Washington was the stuff of legends. 

A quarter of a million American Jews descended on their nation’s capital, left and right, Orthodox and Reform alike, to demand one thing: Freedom for Soviet Jewry. 

That was in 1987. Decades later, that mass protest seemed to belong to a bygone era of comity and solidarity, when Jews could unite across differences to defend their people. In today’s era of hyperpolarization and bitter political feuds, such a gathering seemed unlikely. 

Then came October 7, 2023, and the kidnapping of 251 people — Israelis and foreigners, children and the elderly, soldiers and civilians, living and dead — to Gaza at the hands of terrorists, who killed 1,200 more. 

Seemingly immediately, Jews got their answer: unity was still possible. A mass, global movement, led from Israel and present in cities across the world, sprang up to “Bring Them Home.” 

Yes, there were pockets of dissent, Jewish activists who aligned with the pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel movement and did not emphasize the hostages’ plight. But they were exceptions to a sweeping surge across Jewish communities, especially in the months after October 7, to push for the hostages’ release. 

Rallies and runs took place globally. Hostage posters........

© The Times of Israel