ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — More than a quarter million demonstrators gathered at the nation's capital on Tuesday at the "March for Israel."
The organizers of the rally were from the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
Organizers said the march was against antisemitism aimed at freeing hostages.
The rally happened as the war between Israel and Hamas entered its sixth week.
All walks of life joined together at the National Mall.
"We had reservations for 300 people from St. Louis who came in all different ways from buses to planes. It was an opportunity to partake in something historic," Brian Herstig, Jewish Federation of St. Louis president and CEO, said.
Herstig noticed demonstrators from all over the country.
"Houston, California, Chicago, Boston, New York, everyone brought their own stuff and we had our own swag too," Herstig said pointing to his scarf which read, "STL for Israel."
Watching miles away in St. Louis, another 300 sets of eyes faced a large projection screen at the Jewish Community Center.
"We are all here to watch the rally together and support one another and experience it together," Julie Gibbs, chief philanthropy officer of the St. Louis Jewish Community Center, said.
While in separate states, they stood in solidarity.
"My sister and brother-in-law are there and I think everyone has family or knows someone there and we know a lot of people in the community there. It's like we're connected at the heart that we know they are there experiencing it and representing us but it's like a piece of us is there," Gibbs said.
Moved by the moment, Herstig is motivated to share a message.
"The biggest thing I'm feeling is that there 239 hostages held underground by terrorists and we need to get them out and get them home, so a lot of the cries today have been to bring them home. We aren't going to stop until we get all the hostages home," Herstig said.