KCM and EMIC had the privilege to participate in the Tuesday, November 14 March for Israel, and we wanted to share just two of the stories from EMIC congregants.
A Christian Perspective from the National Mall
Joyous conversations filled our car as we crawled through the traffic jam in Washington, D.C. We were excited to meet people of all races and backgrounds, from different religions and communities all over the United States. Around 290,000 of us gathered on the National Mall to show our solidarity with Israel, to stand against antisemitism, and to demand the release of the hostages held by Hamas. The largest pro-Israel gathering in history was about to happen!
The night before, when we arrived at the hotel, we befriended a Jewish family. They were perplexed to meet Christians who came all the way from Texas to participate in this rally to support Israel. Just a short while before, one of the sons asked his mother if there would be any Christians. Then, there we were, right in front of their eyes! What a testimony!
As we walked the final blocks to the National Mall, masses of people with Israeli flags tied around their shoulders and waving in their hands joined together. We dove into a sea of white and blue. Parents with little kids in strollers, older people with walkers, teenagers, whole schools and congregations of synagogues met with one mission and purpose.
Jewish students opened the rally and announced that they will not be quiet. Congressional leaders from both parties stood in unity and declared, “We stand with Israel and for the release of the hostages.” Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed the crowd from the Western Wall in Jerusalem and said, “The Holocaust will never happen again. We will win this war, heal, rise and rebuild.” Mothers of hostages shared their pain of not knowing if their children were still alive. Crowds cried out in solidarity with those parents, chanting, “Bring them home!” and holding up photos of the captured. John Hagee’s declaration, “Israel, you are not alone!” echoed in our hearts. He continued, “God proclaimed Israel’s deliverance, and it will come.” Music and dancing between segments gave expression to the optimism and determination of everyone there.
As we were standing surrounded mainly by Jews, we felt like one of them. We stood united for one cause—to win this fight. Some people near us got curious and began inquiring about our beliefs. We revealed to them that we are Christians and assured them that our church in Texas is doing everything we can to help. Their eyes widened when we shared about the outreaches enabling Jews to make Aliyah and the finances donated to buy security equipment for Judah, Samaria and the City of David to protect the Jewish communities. One Jewish man mentioned that it would be great if more Christians would believe like us. Others shared with us that they’re thinking of migrating to Israel themselves, despite the war.
There was a real spirit of unity. A man next to us offered to translate the lyrics of the Israeli songs and slogans, which we happily accepted. Orthodox Jews walked around, helping others bind leather straps with little black boxes around their arms and heads to pray for Israel. Kids passionately held up hand-drawn posters. Everyone showed their support for Israel in this difficult time.
The words spoken, proclaimed and sung from the stage touched our hearts. But what really moved us were the masses of Jews who came together in unity. Their strength and courage are evident. They are determined to win this war and live in peace again. We are honored to have been a part of this historic rally and to stand for Israel together with the Jews as one.
Why Should We Support Israel?
The land of Israel is God’s land, and the people of Israel are His people. Therefore, since we Christians are believers in the same God—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and we love what He loves, it is vitally important that we support Israel. The rally was a wonderful opportunity to show our support. It was amazing to be in the company of almost 300,000 people unified in supporting Israel, and to hear so many speak out strongly for Israel and the hostages during this critical time.
One of the things that really impacted me had to do with the hostages. As one of the speakers said, we are not going to move on from demanding that the hostages be released! This helped me to see more clearly that we must tirelessly pray and advocate for their safe return. We must not give up on that!
Finally, it was a joy to meet and talk to some of the Jewish people who were there from so many different places. Without fail, everyone thanked us for coming. My husband and I felt that it was our privilege to be there with them.
B.C. ǀ Ft. Worth, Texas
Here at KCM and EMIC, we continue to support Israel in every way we can. If you would like to be a part of blessing Israel during this time of war, click HERE; 100% of your gift will go to help Israel.
