Residents of southern Brooklyn demonstrated their solidarity with Israel, Sunday evening, at a rally on the Reigelman Boardwalk that stretched from Brighton 5th Street to almost Ocean Parkway. The gathering was sponsored by Ben Akselrod and Davidzon Radio, which arranged for Sofa Landver, a member of Israel’s Knesset and Minister of Repatriation and Integration, Aleksander Valdman the deputy mayor of Ashdod and Larisa Gershtein, the former vice mayor of Jerusalem to address the crowd live from Israel providing the latest information on events in the Holy Land.

Included among the speakers were Assemblyman William Colton and Councilman Mark Treyger who were instrumental in organizing the rally, and Congressman Michael Grimm, Assemblyman Dov Hikind and District Leader Marcus Nussbaum.

The audience, which numbered in the thousands, was moved as Israel Defense Forces veterans and Israeli citizens read the names and ages of fallen Israeli soldiers. This was followed by a moment of silence.

“This rally not only provided southern Brooklyn residents of all faiths with the opportunity to come together to express their emotions on a situation that is very close to their hearts, but it enabled them to show our brethren in Israel, and the rest of the world, that southern Brooklyn is supporting them during this time of crisis,” Akselrod stated.

Assemblyman Colton highlighted the importance of the rally stating, “We’re here to speak up for freedom because when freedom is threatened in one part of the world, it is threatened in every part of the world. We’re here to support Israel because people everywhere must speak up for and support freedom and democracy in Israel and throughout the world. We can never remain silent because that would be the real threat to freedom everywhere.”

“Am Yisrael Chai” (Israel lives) was chanted by the crowd between speakers as many waved homemade signs supporting Israel and Israeli flags.

“I stand with Israel because I believe in freedom, democracy, and security. It is imperative that the free world, which vows to protect these precious values, stands with Israel during its fight for security and peace. After all, Israel is the only country in that troubled region that reflects and practices the beliefs of the free world. If Hamas spent as much time building towards peace as they do building weapons tunnels underneath schools and hospitals, we’d see a very different outcome today. Until then, Israel is within her right to protect, secure, and preserve its people and nation,” said City Council Member Mark Treyger.

“Russian speaking Americans are an important segment of New York City’s Jewish community. So many of Davidzon Radio’s listeners have voiced concern over what is happening in the Middle East that I felt an obligation to provide them, and the entire southern Brooklyn community, with an opportunity to show solidarity with Israel,” Gregory Davidzon, president of Davidzon Radio, explained.

Assemblyman Hikind told the gathering of his recent trip to Israel and shared his personal experiences in Israel as he heard the air raid sirens go off. When he called on President Obama to “wake up,” it motivated the crowd to spontaneously chant several rounds of “Obama wake up.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)