This past Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, will be remembered as a historic day in New York as thousands came together to fight bigotry and hate with one loud voice and with one unified message, saying no to anti-Semitism.
The official sponsor of the march was The UJA Federation along with the co-sponsors Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, ADL New York / New Jersey, AJC – American Jewish Committee, and New York Board of Rabbis.
A crowd estimated at 25,000 from New York, New Jersey and beyond assembled at Foley Square in Lower Manhattan under clear crisp skies and marched across the Brooklyn Bridge under a heavy police presence. Religious leaders from all faiths, as well as political leaders from the right and left, came together with one voice and a clear message of unity.
As New Yorkers we are tenacious and unified when a crisis is upon us and when tragedy confronts us. As New Yorkers we never surrender to hate. The sea of thousands of people marching against hate exemplifies who we are as a people.
Our hearts were full of tears of joy and pride as we witnessed seeing the throngs of New Yorkers, students, community leaders, friends, parents, grandparents of every denomination and every faith marching together to say “NO TO HATE” AND “NO TO FEAR”.
Especially gratifying was seeing New York’s progressive leaders like Mayor Bill De Blasio and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams as well as Congressional candidate Lindsey Boylan and leadership of the Orthodox and Chassidic community represented by Deborah Halberstam and Chaskel Bennet joined together for this great unity March.
“Jews in America have always lived in a tolerant and welcoming society,” said Bennett, a prominent Orthodox Jewish activist.
New York City knows that unity and diversity are strength, that all communities must stand together against all hatred, that we will reject anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and violence of any kind,” said Williams.
I spent the day marching with my own New York City Councilperson Farah Louis (D-East Flatbush, Flatbush, Flatlands, Marine Park, Midwood) who has made her mission as a leader in New York City to continue to call out with a loud voice that as a strong and united community we can do so much more to change and make this world a better place for all
As the Founder of The Bridge Multicultural & Advocacy Project, I have been involved in building bridges between the city’s diverse groups for over a decade. The feeling of pride and joy seeing the intense emotions of thousands of people marching together with a dream of one united city made me so proud as my heart was just flowing with incredible joy.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said we would remember not the words of our enemies but the silence of our friends, and if we do not learn to live together as friends, we will die apart as fools.
As I left the march to return to my office at The Bridge Multicultural & Advocacy Project to continue with our mission of “Unity In Action” I felt blessed and overwhelmed with joy that hate and bigotry will soon be eradicated and that hope and unity will once again shine upon us
