ISRAEL SOLIDARITY RALLY DRAWS 1,200
by Margi Herwald and Douglas J. Guth, Cleveland Jewish News

Cleveland children sing in solidarity with Israel

Togetherness and unity was the theme of the "Solidarity Gathering to Stand with the People of Israel" at the Mandel Jewish Community Center on the night of Oct. 12. There was a little too much togetherness, however, according to Beachwood fire safety codes.

The rally, coordinated by the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland, ended earlier than planned when the overflowing crowd, estimated at 1,200, was asked to leave by Beachwood police. Before dispersing, the assemblage heard a variety of speakers discuss the current violence between Israelis and Palestinians and enthusiastically voiced their support of Jews in Israel and the peace process.

The Mandel JCC gathering was led by Amy M. Morgenstern, chair of the JCF's Community Relations Committee, who commentated on matters such as the future of the Middle East peace process, anti-Israel bias in the media and the United Nations Security Council's resolution which condemned the use of force "especially" against Palestinians.

"We deplore the Palestinian use of rocks and boulders and the tactic of using young children," she says.

Morgenstern received a boisterous round of applause when she called the resolution "one-sided" and expressed disappointment in the U.S. for not vetoing it.

The shortened evening also included a review of the events in the Middle East thus far by American Israel Public Affairs Committee president Tim Wuliger and prayers and remarks from three rabbis representing each of the three major denominations of Judaism.

Rabbi Naphtali Burnstein of Young Israel of Cleveland (Orthodox), praised the large numbers saying, "our greatest gift is the entire spectrum of our community coming together as one."

This was the second such rally of the day. Betar and B'nai Akiva, two activist Jewish youth groups, held a 300 person rally downtown at Public Square in the late afternoon which was immediately followed by a march and vigil by about 50 Palestinian supporters.

Fresh from the march downtown, Daniel Wilkenfeld, a 17-year-old member of Betar, gave an impassioned speech as three other boys stood in front of the podium holding up posters of the faces of the three Israeli soldiers taken prisoner by Hezbollah.

Tishrei 5761 - October 2000