CINCINNATI — Hundreds of members from the Tri-State's Jewish community returned to Cincinnati from the "March for Israel."
The march took place in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday and tens of thousands rallied on the National Mall voicing solidarity with Israel and pleading for hostages to be released by Hamas. Organizers have called it the largest gathering of Jewish people in modern history.
Roughly 500 people went to the march from the Greater Cincinnati Area. When they returned, many said it was a powerful but emotional trip.
"It's this atmosphere of love and unity and everybody coming together," Aaron Binik-Thomas said. "I don't even have the right emotions to experience, emotionally uplifting, emotionally overwhelming — it was beautiful."
Binik-Thomas, a realtor in the Tri-State, went along with his friend, Nico Black.
Black said the march was impressive.
"It was so heartfelt and civilized and positive and gave full mention to our hostages and the suffering of the people in Gaza," Black said.
He also said those in the Jewish community are praying and supporting the innocent people on both sides of the war.
"If you believe in humanity and charity and grace, can you understand that there's victims on both sides and both sides require your support as a human?" Black said. "Can you disentangle yourself from the politics which are completely irreverent when you're dealing with such a broad humanitarian issue? If you can, you are a good person."
Those that attended the march told WCPO 9 that they're glued to the news, hoping to see that their families and friends are safe — and that hostages are released.
Jeremy Spiegel, assistant director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Cincinnati, said it's important that people remember those hostages are real people.
"These are 240 individuals each of whom have a family, they have people who love them, people that they love back," Spiegel said. "I have a cousin whose in captivity in Gaza right now, she has a 3-year-old son, 3-year-old daughter and a husband waiting for her to come home."
Now that those who went to Washington, D.C. are back, Cincinnati's Jewish community is continuing its support efforts.
More than 500 women are coming together Wednesday night in Amberley Village to make challah bread for Shabbat dinner. The annual Mega Challah Bake, which is hosted by the Chabad of Cincinnati, is celebrating its 7th year, and this is the largest year by far they've had.
During that time, they'll each receive the name of a hostage or a soldier to pray for.
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