WIZO (The Women’s International Zionist Organization) California hosted a “Walk for Israel” on March 21 led by Councilmembers Lili Bosse and Sharona Nazarian. Approximately 70 participants took part in the march, which began at City Hall and then proceeded to Beverly Gardens Park, down Beverly Drive and then back to City Hall.
Organizers noted that 167 days have gone by since the brutal attacks in Israel by Hamas.
The featured speaker, former Israeli MK Ruth Wasserman Lande, recounted her experience of that day.
“We know the meaning of war. We know about rockets flying over our heads and trying to cover up our children. And this was normal for years. But on October 7, I as an Israeli Jewish woman was completely and utterly in shock. I was walking in the streets and men, tough, macho Israeli men were in shock. People were with a trauma in their eyes. You could see it everywhere,” said Lande.
Photo by Lisa Friedman Bloch
She continued, “We were in shock the first few weeks for the pain of young people who are dancing…That’s why we are here. We all hurt, but we don’t only hurt for the pain that our people endured. We don’t only hurt for our hostages, which we pray for every single day because there’s no bigger mitzvah in Judaism than to set them free. We hurt because normal, so-called ethical people remain silent.”
Lande made this request of the crowd.
“Instead of talking about the Middle East, I’m asking you, let’s put our hands over our eyes for one second and let’s pray. Let’s pray for the healing of those who are wounded. Let’s pray that the women that will—please God—come back alive, will heal from the heinous crimes they had experienced. Let’s pray for the mothers of the hostages that only the good Lord knows what on earth they are experiencing. Let’s pray.”
