On October 21, 2024, hundreds of anti-Zionists Jews gathered in Manhattan to protest the state of Israel and its recent persecution of anti-Zionist communities in the Holy Land The rally began across from the Israeli consulate on Second Avenue, New York City.
Recently the |state of Israel is attempting to force religious Jews into their army and brutalizing those who protest it. The Israeli army recently began sending draft notices to the members of the orthodox community to forcibly enlist them into military service, following a court order from the Israeli court. Threatening those who refuse, to face criminal charges and potentially be arrested in military prison.
“We came to be the voice of the oppressed orthodox Jewish community living under the Zionist entity; from day one our rabbis have opposed the creation of the state of Israel. And did not recognize this illegitimate state. Now they try to force us to join their army and carry out its criminal actions, this is unacceptable” said Rabbi Abraham Cohen, one of the organizers of the rally, from the anti-Zionist Jewish Neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. He added that, “according to Judaism, Jews are forbidden to occupy other people’s land, have their own sovereign state, wage wars against any nation, or to commit bloodshed. Therefore, serving in the Israeli army is a violation of the Jewish religion, and forcing one to violate this, is breaching freedom of religion”.
Chaim Gould, a spokesman for the rally noted that when Jewish people peacefully protest against the Israeli government, they are faced with massive police brutality, arrests and traumatizing night raids.
In their speeches delivered in Yiddish and English languages, leading rabbis and scholars spoke about the Jewish opposition to Zionism and the state of Israel and emphasized that Jews are a peaceful people and seek no conflict or confrontation with anyone. They stressed that it is the obligation of every righteous Jew to publicize this message, that the state of Israel does not represent the Jewish people, because Zionists misuse the Torah to justify their existence. And commit crimes in the name of our religion.
After the speeches, the crowd marched to the offices of the Friends of the IDF, chanting, “Judaism yes, Zionism no” and “The state of Israel must go, IDF stop the draft.” Another chant was, “State of Israel, shame, shame, you don’t act in the Jewish name.”
One banner read, “We will not serve in the army of a state we don’t recognize,” while another stated, “Jews worldwide condemn Israeli bloody brutality.”
The march ended with reciting verses of the book of Psalms and the organizers stated that the struggle is not ended. “We will continue to be on the streets to protest the criminal Israeli State; our message to the orthodox community under Israeli oppression is clear, we support you and encourage you to continue your steadfast refusal to enlist in the criminal Israeli army.”
New York Jewish Travel Guide- Meyer Harroch (September 22, 2024)
