Jewish Federation of San Antonio Charters Plane to Historic March for Israel
San Antonio (November 16, 2023) – In a powerful display of unity and commitment to standing with Israel, the Jewish Federation of San Antonio (JFSA), with generous support from the Bar-Yadin family, chartered a plane to facilitate the attendance of a dedicated group of 150 community members at the March for Israel.
The logistics involved in organizing such a massive movement of people have been a monumental undertaking for the Federation. From coordinating travel arrangements to ensuring the safety and comfort of all participants, meticulous planning was at the forefront of this historic initiative.
The March for Israel, held on November 14, 2023, on the National Mall in Washington D.C., brought together 290,000 individuals from diverse backgrounds who share a common goal—standing in solidarity with Israel, advocating against the rise of antisemitism, and calling for the return of the 240 hostages currently held by the terrorist organization, Hamas.
The largest Jewish gathering in the history of the United States, the march welcomed a variety of speakers and musical performances, including Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt, Israel President Isaac Herzog, Matisyahu, Natan Sharansky, and members of Congress from across the aisle.
The San Antonio delegation departed early Tuesday morning, at 5 am, and arrived in D.C. at 9:30 am with enough time to enjoy an early brunch, provided by local restaurant, Max & Louie’s NY Diner, on the bus ride to the National Mall. Amongst the thousands, members of the San Antonio community were easy to spot with blue and white scarves, and signs printed by Shweiki Media, that read, “San Antonio Stands with Israel” on one side, with the photos of the hostages and a call to “#BringThemHome” on the other.
“As a college student, seeing the rise of antisemitism, especially on college campuses, it was incredibly uplifting and inspiring to be surrounded by so many Jews and Jewish students from across the U.S.,” said UTSA Hillel student President, Darah Rivera. Nearly 10% of the crowd were from various Jewish youth movements, camps, Hillels, and more.
Jewish Federation of San Antonio CEO, Nammie Ichilov, expressed his immense pride in being part of the 10,000-person strong San Antonio Jewish community, “For us to unite around Israel’s right to defend itself and its relentless pursuit to bring back the hostages the way we have has been heartwarming.” Ichilov also expressed pride in being part of the greater San Antonio community. “San Antonians of all faiths have reached out to the Jewish community to share their support of Israel’s democratic values and public recognition of all faiths. We were honored to have members of other faith groups join our San Antonio delegation at the rally.”
To watch the full March for Israel, visit https://www.marchforisrael.org/watch-the-march/
To learn more about the Jewish Federation of San Antonio, visit jfsatx.org
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About The Jewish Federation of San Antonio
The Jewish Federation of San Antonio is dedicated to perpetuating Jewish values by taking care of others, educating people and involving them in Jewish life. We aim to identify the issues our community faces and address them with our partners. Our Federation strengthens our community when we act together to welcome people, feed the hungry, rescue those in danger, support our connection to Israel, celebrate our heritage and teach our children.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Nammie Ichilov, President & CEO Jewish Federation of San Antonio
(dl) 210-302-6961 | ceo@jfsatx.org