Sunday, September 23, was the date of a series of mass rallies in solidarity with Israel, in England, in Australia and in Pennsylvania in the United States. The largest rally was to be held in New York; however, the terrorist bombings in the city led to the cancellation of the event and to the inclusion of solidarity with the latest American victims of terrorism to the agendas of the rallies that did take place.
3000 people attended the gathering in London, at the Theatre Royal. In attendance were the leadership of British Jewish organizations and youth groups, Minister without Portfolio, Roni Milo, UK Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and other Jewish leaders and dignitaries, including Mrs. Jo Wagerman, Chairperson of the Board of Deputies, who read a letter from the US Ambassador to the UK. Also participating in the London event were Daphne Avraham, Eyal Avitan, Tarad Suwayed and Uri Tannenbaum, all relatives of kidnapped Israelis, and Seth Mandell, whose son, Kobi, was brutally murdered by Arab terrorists.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was the site of another rally, which was attended by more than 5,000 people, the city?s largest Jewish gathering. The event, which was coordinated by the United Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh the Jewish Agency, was held at the Jewish Education Institute, in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. The Jewish Agency reports that thousands of non-Pennsylvanian Jews arrived from neighboring communities in Ohio and West Virginia. The event was attended by the city?s mayor, Tom Murphy, and other dignitaries, such as Allegheny County Chief Executive Jim Roddey and Pennsylvania Representative Dan Frankel. Religious leaders in attendance were Rabbi Charles Diamond, President of the Greater Pittsburgh Rabbinic Association, William Winter, Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, Cynthia Bronson Sweigert of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer and Farooq Hussaini, Director of Interfaith Relations at the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh.
In Melbourne, Australia, as well, thousands attended a similar rally organized by the State Zionist Council of Victoria, the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and local Jewish organizations and youth movements. The event was addressed by the Israeli Ambassador to Australia, Gabby Levy, the Australian Federal Treasurer Peter Costello, US Consul General David Lyon and Australian Parliament member Michael Danby, who is himself Jewish.
3000 people attended the gathering in London, at the Theatre Royal. In attendance were the leadership of British Jewish organizations and youth groups, Minister without Portfolio, Roni Milo, UK Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks and other Jewish leaders and dignitaries, including Mrs. Jo Wagerman, Chairperson of the Board of Deputies, who read a letter from the US Ambassador to the UK. Also participating in the London event were Daphne Avraham, Eyal Avitan, Tarad Suwayed and Uri Tannenbaum, all relatives of kidnapped Israelis, and Seth Mandell, whose son, Kobi, was brutally murdered by Arab terrorists.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was the site of another rally, which was attended by more than 5,000 people, the city?s largest Jewish gathering. The event, which was coordinated by the United Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh the Jewish Agency, was held at the Jewish Education Institute, in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. The Jewish Agency reports that thousands of non-Pennsylvanian Jews arrived from neighboring communities in Ohio and West Virginia. The event was attended by the city?s mayor, Tom Murphy, and other dignitaries, such as Allegheny County Chief Executive Jim Roddey and Pennsylvania Representative Dan Frankel. Religious leaders in attendance were Rabbi Charles Diamond, President of the Greater Pittsburgh Rabbinic Association, William Winter, Auxiliary Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, Cynthia Bronson Sweigert of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer and Farooq Hussaini, Director of Interfaith Relations at the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh.
In Melbourne, Australia, as well, thousands attended a similar rally organized by the State Zionist Council of Victoria, the Jewish Community Council of Victoria and local Jewish organizations and youth movements. The event was addressed by the Israeli Ambassador to Australia, Gabby Levy, the Australian Federal Treasurer Peter Costello, US Consul General David Lyon and Australian Parliament member Michael Danby, who is himself Jewish.