Hundreds of Minnesotans rally in support of Israel in Washington D.C.: "We beat with one heart"
MINNEAPOLIS — Exhausting but exhilarating. That's how some Minnesotans described being a part of one of the largest pro-Israel rallies ever in Washington D.C.
The Jewish Federations of North America organized Tuesday's "March for Israel."
Organizers said nearly 300,000 people showed up on the National Mall to show support. And that crowd included hundreds from Minnesota who made sure to make their presence known.
They got up early and they didn't need to pack much — just their energy, their resolve, and a made-in-Minnesota T-shirt.
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Kate Erickson, a teacher at Bloomington Public Schools, took off work and traveled to D.C. with her husband, Matt.
"I wanted to show up for my family, I wanted to show up for my people. I wanted to show up and be a part of the overall message," Kate Erickson said.
That overall message, according to organizers, included three key parts: support Israel, fight antisemitism, and demand the unconditional release of the 240 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Speakers included many prominent lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Also on stage, though, were the parents and relatives of those hostages.
"There was raw emotion in every single person in the mall," Kate Erickson said.
"We beat with one heart. We felt each other," Matt Erickson said.
The emotions were felt a thousand miles away, too, as dozens more watched the rally closer to home. Michelle Parks says she was inspired by it all, but moved beyond words knowing her daughter, a sophomore at the University of Minnesota, was on the National Mall to see it for herself.
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"These young people that are going, they are our future. They command peace, and I wish nothing but peace for all of us and for Israel," Parks said.
A message delivered in D.C., but meant for the whole world to hear.
"We stood together as 290,000 people, and we stood against hatred and we stood for people being kind to one another, for people living together," Kate Erickson said.
Besides Minnesotans, Jews from across the Midwest and even as far as California made the trip to D.C.