February 14, 2024
Jon Tuleya/PhillyVoice
On Wednesday, protesters will begin a march from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., to demand a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Among the groups organizing the demonstration is Jewish Voice for Peace, members of which are shown above during a protest inside 30th Street Station on Nov. 2, 2023.
A multi-faith group of protesters is departing Philadelphia on Wednesday morning for a week-long march to the White House, where the coalition will call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
The protest is one of several "peace pilgrimages" planned over the Christian observance of Lent, which also begins on Wednesday. Marchers in 96 cities across 15 countries plan to walk at least the 25-mile length of Gaza to demonstrate support for Palestinians in the city amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. The Philadelphia pilgrimage begins with a conference at Mother Bethel AME Church, at 419 S. Sixth St., where rabbis and reverends, including Philadelphia City Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke, will speak. Marchers will then journey on to Independence Hall, the official departure point for the roughly 150-mile trek.
The protesters' most pressing demand is an immediate and lasting ceasefire in the war, which erupted on Oct. 7 after the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas killed over 1,000 Israelis and took several hundred more hostage. Israel has responded with a military offensive in Gaza, which has killed over 28,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children, according to Palestinian health officials.
The coalition is also calling for swift humanitarian aid, including food and water, to Palestine and the release of all hostages held by Hamas or Israeli forces. Its co-sponsors include the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, Philly chapters of Jewish Voice for Peace, the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
"We urge community members of all faiths and background to join in this effort to bring peace and justice to the people of the Middle East," Ahmet Tekelioglu, executive director of CAIR Philadelphia, said in a statement. "For too long, our nation has contributed to the continuation of the conflict, instead of taking measures – such as recognizing the humanity of the Palestinian people – that would bring it to an end."
The first leg of the march will wind from Old City to Delaware County, with the protesters arriving in Chester by Wednesday night. From there, they will walk to Wilmington and Newark in Delaware. The bulk of the route stretches across Maryland, spanning Havre de Grace and Baltimore before landing in Washington, D.C. At the end of each day, the marchers will stop at a mosque, synagogue or church for a meal with the local community. They expect to arrive in the nation's capital on Feb. 21.
Around 200 activists are expected to participate in at least part of the pilgrimage, though some have signed on for only one or some of the days. Rabbi Alissa Wise, the West Philly-based lead organizer for Rabbis for Ceasefire, estimates each leg of the journey will have at least 50 marchers. A bus will trail the coalition with their belongings at all times, offering a respite for anyone who needs a break.
"This crisis has gone on so long, much longer than any of us could have imagined," she said Tuesday. "We're needing to build more reserves in ourselves in order to keep going in this fight. Joining and linking arms across faith, across race with these different communities is a way to give us a boost as we've been rapidly responding to this crisis for months.
"Part of what I believe, and I think a lot of us at Rabbis for Ceasefire believe, is that safety for Jews and for Palestinians is not going to come from isolation but from solidarity."
It's not the only peace pilgrimage happening in Philly. A second walk is scheduled for the final week of Lent, a period of reflection and repentance which ends on March 28. This march will start at the Liberty Bell and end at the Lockheed Martin plant in King of Prussia, according to co-organizer Lisa Sharon Harper.
Participants hope the multiple protests will spur action from the president, who has faced public rebukes from demonstrators at several campaign events over his handling of the conflict. Rabbis for Ceasefire has expressed particular concern over Israel's planned expansion of its ground assault in the city of Rafah, where over 1 million Palestinian refugees have sought shelter.
"There's this acute crisis looming," Wise said. "Walking from Independence Hall to the White House is meant to be a reminder of what the fundamental commitments of democracy and humanity are."
The coalition has been dismayed by what Wise calls a "lack of pressure" from nationwide protests and public opinion. A YouGov poll taken in November showed that 65% of Americans supported an Israel-Hamas ceasefire, while a Data for Progress survey published in December found that 61% of likely voters believed the U.S. should call for a permanent ceasefire. Another protest for a ceasefire at the White House last month drew thousands.
"I am not a depressive person, and I have found myself in a slump," Wise said. "I've never been more depressed in my life, and I've been an organizer on this issue for 20 years.
"It's hard for me to say I feel hope. I feel like I have spiritual commitment and a religious commitment to hope. I feel like it's not up to me to give up, especially with all the privileges I enjoy. It's my obligation to maintain that hope."
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