Sunday, January 18, 2009
 More than 500 members
of the community came together in a show of support at Sunday evening’s
Northern Virginia Peace and Solidarity Rally for Israel held at the
JCC of Northern Virginia. Twenty-nine synagogues, agencies and organizations
joined in the evening of solidarity for Israel (see list below).
The program included opening remarks by Howard Kohr, Executive Director
of American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), an update on the
conflict by Minister Counselor Rafael Harpaz, Director of Public Affairs
from the Embassy of Israel, and prayers led together by Northern Virginia
rabbis. An emotional candle lighting ceremony was performed by veteran
Israeli soldiers that commemorated the 10 soldiers and 3 civilian Israelis
killed in the conflict. Following a reading of Psalm 122 for the State
of Israel by the leadership of area organizations, Steve Stone, Chairman
of Jewish Community Relations Council’s Northern Virginia Commission
delivered the closing remarks. The evening ended as Gesher Jewish Day
School students and Northern Virginia youth led the crowd in Oseh Shalom,
the Star Spangled Banner and Hatikvah.
Program Partners
Adat Reyim ● Agudas Achim Congregation ● The American Association of
Jewish Lawyers and Jurists ● American Israel Public Affairs Committee
(AIPAC) ● Anti-Defamation League ● BBYO-NOVA Council ● Beth Chaverim
Reform Congregation ● Beth El Hebrew Congregation ● Chabad Lubavitch
of Northern Virginia ● Chesapeake Region B’nai Brith International ●
Congregation Beth Emeth ● Congregation Etz Hayim ● Congregation Ner Shalom
● Congregation Olam Tikvah ● Congregation Sha’are Shalom ● Gesher Jewish
Day School ● George Mason University Hillel ● The Israel Project ● JCC
of Northern Virginia ● JCCNV Volunteer Shaliach Program ● Jewish Community
Relations Council ● The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington ● Northern
Seaboard Region of Hadassah ● Northern Virginia Chapter of Hadassah ●
Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation ● Potomac Chapter of Hadassah ●
Temple Beth Torah ● Temple B’nai Shalom ● Temple Rodef Shalom
Rabbis Pictured from left to right:
Rabbi Sholom Deitsch, Rabbi Mordechai Newman, Rabbi Benjamin Shalva,
Rabbi Leibel Fajland, Rabbi Jeffrey Saxe, Rabbi Brett Isserow, Rabbi
Bruce Aft and Rabbi David Kalender. In attendance, but not pictured,
Rabbi Amy Schwartzman.
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