Thousands of people, including delegations from across New Jersey, gathered in front of the UN on Sept. 24 to protest President Ahmadinejad’s visit. Photo by Johanna Ginsberg
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Among those attending the rally on Sept. 24 were United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ leaders, from left, Gary Aidekman, president; Steven Klinghoffer, past president; Max Kleinman, executive vice president; Melanie Roth Gorelick, Community Relations Committee associate director; and Lori Klinghoffer, president of the National Women’s Philanthropy board and a past MetroWest UJA campaign chair.
Jim and Diana Daniels of Short Hills were among the protesters at the rally. Jim Daniels is chair of the Stop Iran Task Force of UJC MetroWest’s Community Relations Committee. Photo by Melanie Gorelick
Barbara Israel Borniker of West Orange created the caricature she’s holding. “I think a pictorial "njUNrally4.jpg" carries a lot more weight, especially in a crowd,” she said. Photo by Melanie Gorelick
September 30, 2009
Delegations from across New Jersey joined several thousand demonstrators in calling for freedom in Iran, in a rally put together by Jewish groups and numerous other organizations.
The Sept. 24 demonstration outside the United Nations building in New York came a day after Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, addressed the UN General Assembly.
Speakers at the rally included New York Gov. David Paterson, Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, and former New York City mayor and one-time Republican presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani.
“The current Iranian regime is an affront to the civilized world,” Giuliani said. “It’s a disgrace and, of course, it’s a terrible menace not only to its own citizens, but a terrible menace to all of us. All decent people should stand up against the Iranian regime.”
A coalition of Jewish groups and numerous other organizations, including the Progressive Iranian-American Council, labor unions, and African-American and Hispanic groups, organized the protest.
And while the official notice of the “Stand for Freedom in Iran” rally focused on human rights issues in the country, rally-goers held signs and told reporters of their deep concerns about Iran’s obtaining and using a nuclear weapon and its threats to Israel.
The Community Relations Committee of United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ sponsored two busloads to the rally; Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union sent two buses, while Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston also sent students.
Individuals from the MetroWest area came on their own.
“I think this guy’s a madman and we have to stop him,” said Stan Shapiro of Roseland.
“I don’t think it’s okay for Iran to have nuclear weapons and say the Holocaust didn’t happen while oppressing its citizens,” said Joel Srebrenick of South Orange.
Srebrenick, a high school student and national president of the Young Judaea youth organization, took the day off from school. “The freedom of people of Iran and the safety of the people of the world is more important than going to school one day out of the school year,” he said.
He said he hoped that as a result of the rally, “UN and world leaders recognize Iran as a threat to the safety of Israel, America, the people of the world, and its own citizens.”
Cynthia Schwartz of West Orange brought her 13-year-old daughter, Abigail, to the girl’s first rally.
“I felt it was critical to come today because the regime in Iran threatens every one of our family’s values. As an American, I need to say that,” Schwartz said. “I’m extremely pro-Israel; when I learned about what was going on, I decided I have to be aware.”
Max Kleinman, executive vice president of UJC MetroWest, called Iran “the most important issue confronting the Jewish people, Israel, and the world of our time.” Speaking to protesters on the MetroWest bus, he said, “Most of the world — fair-minded people — realize Iran’s government is not only illegitimate but kills its own people. I think that over time there’s going to be a revolt within Iran that may result in regime change; we all hope that happens. But there’s not enough time for us to bank on that.” Encouraging the kind of protest that took place that day, he said, “I think pressure is beginning to take hold.”
“It was pleasing to see the nice Jewish representation at the rally, along with a lot of non-Jewish organizations and individuals, and people representing both sides of the political isle,” said Jim Daniels, chair of the Stop Iran Task Force of UJC MetroWest’s Community Relations Committee. “The silver lining for me was seeing so many Jewish people expressing passionate feelings. I see Iran as an issue that people are rallying around cohesively.”
Sue Siegel, also of West Orange, came at the urging of her rabbi, Clifford Kulwin, of Temple B’nai Abraham in Livingston.
“Maybe one more voice will make a difference,” she said.
Barbara Israel Borniker carried a poster she drew depicting caricatures of Ahmadinejad, Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi, and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, dripping blood, with the headline “Enemies of Humanity.”
The West Orange resident spoke with urgency about the issues at stake. “I really do believe we are in the final countdown to what could, God forbid, really be a world disaster, and I don’t think people have woken up to this,” she said.
Reviews of the rally, however, were mixed. Some participants were hoping for a larger crowd.
“Where were all the people?” asked Gail Kushner of West Orange. “This should have been backed up to Third Avenue and there should have been an overflow.” She added, “Where are the Jews?”
Shapiro wondered why high school students made up so much of the turnout. “I was surprised to see a disproportionate number of schoolkids versus adults. There should have been a stronger representation of adults,” he said.
Younger people seemed more enthusiastic. High school student Shayna Schor, who helped organize buses from her school, Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union, called the turnout “inspiring,” particularly the heavy Jewish turnout. “I was just so shocked to see how much Jewish support there was considering it was not just a Jewish-organized rally,” she said.
Her classmate Avi Kleinman said, “It was great to see so many different people from various backgrounds come together and support my homeland.”
But 11th-grader Danielle Gorshein was disappointed. “The rally did not live up to my expectations, it was more of a social event,” she said.
Some found hopeful signs in the increasing diversity at the rally as compared with previous years. Rabbi Menashe East of the Mount Freedom Jewish Center said, “I see Christians, Iranian nationals, and Jews. There’s something bigger here. I hope we’re seeing some sort of snowball effect,” he said.
Elizabeth Knight, 21, who is not Jewish but joined her friend Katie Frankel on the bus, said she was impressed with the diversity of the groups and added, “I think it’s important as humans that we stand up for other humans.”
Susan Tarnofsky of West Orange took the opportunity to consider how lucky she is. “The city is so used to people doing this. It’s something that’s so typical — you can see how they’re so prepared for it,” she said, commenting on the arrangements for bus parking, police offering directions, and barricades. “I’m grateful at least we have the opportunity to make our feelings known, and hopefully it will have an effect,” she said.
Many Jewish leaders at the NY event said they believe the Obama administration should be vocal in its opposition to the Tehran regime. President Obama has sought dialogue in a bid to stop Iran from building nuclear weapons, but has threatened harsher sanctions if the Islamic Republic does not acquiesce.
“I commend the president for starting with the carrot, but I think it’s time to start with the stick,” said Rabbi Steven Wernick, executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
With additional reporting by JTA
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