Hundreds of Jews rallied at the Bnai Yeshurun synagogue in Teaneck New Jersey on Monday to counter anti-Israel protesters that had come to disrupt a planned ZAKA search and rescue organization event sharing eyewitness accounts of the October 7 massacre.
Jews from communities across the region stood in front of the synagogue with Israeli and American flags, outnumbering the dozens of protesters with Palestinian and Yemen flags. The Bergen County Jewish Action Committee told The Jerusalem Post that they estimated around 3000 participants. The Teaneck Police Department placed the figure at 1000 people from both sides.
The police said on Tuesday that they arrested New York City resident Isaac Chacarria for spitting in the face of an individual from the opposing side as the events concluded. BJAC said that the man arrested was an anti-Israel protester.
In videos of the rallies, anti-Israel protesters can be heard calling for intifadas, chanting “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” and cussing at the pro-Israel side.
Englewood resident Ami Kozak said that he had also heard protesters singing “There is only one solution, Intifada, revolution,” and one man saying to the Jewish residents “You’re done.”
Kozak said he had come near the end, but that the chants of the anti-Israel protesters had been drowned out by the pro-Israel counter-protesters. They sang songs such as Am Yisrael Chai, chanted “Bring them [Hamas hostages] home,” and sang the Israeli and American national anthems.
“The Pro-Hamas mob screamed their typical chants but were drowned out by the most beautiful rendition of Hatikvah,” he said.
The Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey, JFNNJ, said that the Jewish community had come together to counter the protest when they heard that Within Our Lifetime, American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), and other anti-Israel groups sought to disrupt an event at the Teaneck synagogue because they claimed ZAKA volunteers’ accounts of October 7 were “false claims and fabricated evidence” that “have fueled the genocide in Gaza.”
How did the counter-protest come to be?
Leaders from BCJAC, JFNJ, RCBC (Rabbinical Council of Bergen County)’s efforts gave speeches highlighting the unity between the organizations and Jewish communities, emphasizing that they would not tolerate what they said was intimidation and harassment of Jewish Americans.
“This protest denigrates the noble and selfless work of ZAKA volunteers who dedicate their lives to providing dignity in death to victims of disasters and terrorism worldwide,” said BCJAC vice president Rachel Cyrulnik. “Attacking synagogues is not a civil right. Freedom of religion is a civil right. We will not be intimidated in our houses of worship. We will not be attacked in our streets. We will not be threatened by groups spewing violent messages attacking our democracy.”
Simcha Greinman, a ZAKA volunteer who had been set to share his experiences working to provide first aid, collect body parts, and prepare victims for Jewish burial in the wake of the October pogrom, said on Instagram that it was stressful when the protest had been planned, but the Jewish community stood together.
“Hundreds of Jews from various communities arrived at the place with a clear statement against the terror supporters: You will not silence us, Am Yisrael Chai!” said Greinman.
Kozak said that the purpose of the protest was to intimidate the Jewish community.
“Anything that is remotely related to Israel or Jewish these feelers go out, and they get bused in from out of town for these coordinated protests,” said Kozak.
He said it was important to highlight that the Pro-Israel side stood in defense of the United States of America, Israel, and the West, and were pro-police, while the protesters they faced were not for building a Palestinian state but tearing the US, Israel, and western civilization down.
The police were praised by the pro-Israel side. Kozak said that they created a blue wall, but were mostly facing an aggressive Pro-Palestinian side. Cyrulnik also said that the police ensured safety for all, though noted that the synagogue had a permit for its rally, and the pro-Palestinian protesters did not.
JFNNJ claimed that WOL was funded by Qatar, offered free meals, and busing, and claimed there were rumors of an appearance fee for attendees.
While WOL and AMP have posted footage of many of their recent protests, they neglected to widely share video of Monday night’s protest.
AMP NJ posted a video on Sunday saying that the ZAKA responders’ claims of beheaded babies were “Lies, graphic fabrications, and gory disinformation to manipulate public opinion.”
The anti-Israel organization claimed that ZAKA had been recruited by the Israeli government to spread “atrocity propaganda.”
BJAC noted Monday that ZAKA was a humanitarian organization that includes Muslim volunteers to ensure that people can be buried according to Muslim law, and had responded to help in global tragedies.
BJAC and RCBC issued rallying calls on Sunday and Monday, calling efforts to protest ZAKA and the synagogue antisemitic, and “a desecration of the memory of those who died at the hands of genocidal terrorists.”
Teaneck has seen multiple protests by anti-Israel activists, including a March 10 protest of an Israeli real estate exposition at the Congregation Keter Torah Synagogue, but Monday was the first in which the pro-Israelis outnumbered and drowned out the pro-Palestinians.