‘Where are all the Jews at?’ A year after mass rally for Israel, turnout at its followup is sparse

WASHINGTON — When they promoted this Sunday’s pro-Israel rally in Washington D.C., the organizers knew they wouldn’t be able to match the turnout of last November’s March for Israel, which brought hundreds of thousands to Washington just over a month after Oct. 7.  

So the marketing and press emails promised a smaller but still substantial number: One predicted “nearly 40,000.” Another said 30,000. 

But as the rally began in the afternoon, it became clear that the bar had still been set far too high. In the end, perhaps 2,000 people showed up. 

“Where are all the Jews out there, anyway?” the emcee, actor and comedian Tiffany Haddish, said in the middle of the event, as rain drizzled on empty seats on a chilly day. “Where are all the Jews at?”

Multiple factors could have contributed to the low turnout at the event titled “Stand Together,” which was billed by the two main organizers — the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations — as a chance to “stand with Israel” and “strengthen our Jewish unity.” 

Attendees and speakers suggested exhaustion after a polarizing U.S. presidential election in which most Jews voted for the loser; burnout after 400 days of advocating for the hostages held by Hamas in Gaza; lack of enthusiasm for Israel’s right-wing government; security jitters after Israeli soccer fans were attacked in Amsterdam; lackluster event promotion; and inclement weather. 

As it was, an event that pledged to “further the solidarity created by the historic 2023 March for Israel,” and that boasted of more than 200 partnering organizations, fell far short of last year’s numerical show of force. That rally saw waves upon waves of people filling the National Mall. Sunday’s rally saw rows upon rows of empty seats in Nationals Park — capacity 41,546 — where the event was held. 

Prepared remarks took on a bitter irony as they echoed through the vast emptiness of the  stadium.

“The energy in the air is palpable!” said Michael Herzog, the outgoing Israeli ambassador.

Israeli Maj. Gen. Dan Goldfuss recalled the rally a year ago that brought together an estimated 290,000 people.

“Your involvement energizes and nurtures us, the soldiers, officers and people, you are here to give us practical support,” he said. “For example, your huge demonstration and outcry against the evil a year ago.”

Representatives of JFNA and the Conference of Presidents would not comment on the turnout. Niv Elis, a JFNA spokesman, said “many thousands watched by livestream on our YouTube and [Facebook] and with the many partners who posted.” JFNA declined to say how much the stadium cost to rent.

The rally is taking place a day before JFNA’s General Assembly, also in Washington. In its emails to participants, who include officials and lay leaders of local and national Jewish federations and other groups, JFNA appealed for turnout at the rally.

“All General Assembly participants are automatically registered for the Stand Together unity event on November 10,” said one appeal to the 2,000 people who, according to the group, are registered for the General Assembly. “If you do not plan to attend, please let us know.”

JFNA threw in a free meal voucher for the day; a couple of concession stands were certified kosher and offered hot dogs and chicken schnitzel sandwiches.

The sparse attendance didn’t seem to dampen the enthusiasm of the lineup of speakers, who included relatives of three of the hostages as well as Reps. Virginia Foxx, a Republican, and Ritchie Torres, a Democrat — both of whom have gained reputations as outspoken supporters of Israel. Republican Sen. Joni Ernst and John Ondrasik, the musician who performs as Five for Fighting, also appeared.

“People often ask me, ‘You know Ritchie, you’re not Jewish, you’re Black, you’re a Latino. Why do you speak out so forcefully and frequently against antisemitism?’” Torres said. “And I simply reply: ‘The question is not, why have I chosen to speak out? The question is, why have others chosen to be silent amid the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust?’”

Ernst echoed the same message. “As a long-time friend and a staunch supporter of Israel, I am proud to be here and stand united with our Jewish brothers and sisters and the nation of Israel,” she said. 

Ondrasik, who last December released a song titled “OK” about the Oct. 7 attack and the rise in antisemitism, performed from the stage and posted a selfie with Torres before Sunday’s event. In an interview, he attributed the event’s attendance figures to the election. 

“I think people are exhausted and tired,” he said. “We also came off of a very emotional election, I think people are exhausted from that.”

The election was a recurring theme, and occasional undercurrent, at the event. April Powers, a Black Jewish activist who appeared with Lani Anpro, a Native American Jewish activist, urged unity after the fractious campaign.

“No matter how much someone in your family might have disappointed you, we have to come together as a family, as a mishpocha,” she said.

In a prerecorded video, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York noted his historic status as the most senior Jewish elected official in U.S. history — perhaps for the last time. Democrats lost the Senate in Tuesday’s election. 

After the attacks in Amsterdam, Schumer said, “rallies like this are needed more than ever.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who is already being discussed as a contender in the 2028 presidential race, nodded to solidarity with Israel and concerns about rising campus antisemitism as anti-Israel protests proliferate.

“We stand with the people of Israel. We share their pain,” she said. “We are committed to their safety, and we will never forget the horrors of Oct. 7. We stand against the scourge of antisemitism, and we will fight back against this ancient force wherever it rears its ugly head. We must make sure all people feel safe on campus, at work and in their communities, and we stand for a more inclusive, tolerant future where people from all walks of life can thrive.”

After that, she pivoted to describing the strides she had made in repairing roads and in expanding pre-K education in her state.

Family members of hostages pleaded with both outgoing President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to work together to bring their loved ones home. Hamas is holding more than 100 Israelis captive.

“President-elect Trump and President Biden, I urge you to seize this moment, with [former Hamas chief Yahya] Sinwar eliminated, to pressure the mediators to secure a deal that will bring our people home,” said Daniel Lifshitz, whose grandfather, Oded Lifshitz, 84, is still in captivity.

The rally took place one day after rallies across Israel marked 400 days since Oct. 7, many of which were critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. A coalition of Jewish progressive groups cited that protest movement in a statement last week explaining why they were skipping Sunday’s event after attending last year’s rally. The groups — including J Street, T’ruah, the New Israel Fund and Americans for Peace Now — called for the event to more explicitly align with the Israeli demonstrators.

“Standing with Israel can and should include solidarity with the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have protested in the streets over the past many months, calling for their government to end the war, to prioritize the redemption of captives, and to choose democracy over a messianic settler agenda,” the statement said. 

A number of progressive groups, including the National Council of Jewish Women and the Union for Reform Judaism, were in attendance.

The rally also came about a month after Jews had gathered across the globe to mark the first anniversary of Oct. 7. An official of one of the partner organizations said that was one of several reasons that the timing of Sunday’s event was off. 

“There were some 400 Oct. 7 memorials, there was Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the push on this event came late,” said the official, who spoke anonymously in order to speak frankly.

Sunday’s rally was also meant to mark one year’s passage since the last mass pro-Israel rally in the capital. But Stacy  Zeitz, a special education administrator who arrived by bus from Brooklyn, said the turnout showed the impact that time could have on people’s enthusiasm.

“A year in the headlines is a long time,” said Zeitz, 57, who was wearing a blue “I Stand with Israel” sweatshirt. “It’s waning. I get the feeling some of us are losing interest.”