Dozens of rabbis detained in Washington, New York while advocating for Gaza civilians

Dozens of rabbis were arrested on the morning of July 29 during a demonstration at the office of Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, where they called for increased aid to Gaza and an end to what they described as the Israeli government’s “blockade” of the territory.

The arrests followed a similar event in New York City the previous day, where eight rabbis were detained during a protest, highlighting growing concern within the Jewish community over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, Caliber.Az reports via the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

In Washington, a group of 27 rabbis associated with the advocacy organisation Jews for Food Aid for People in Gaza entered Thune’s office around 11:10 a.m. They displayed banners stating “Rabbis say: Protect Life!” and “Rabbis say: Stop the Blockade.”

The protest recalled earlier demonstrations by rabbis and Jewish activists advocating for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict during its first year. Several rabbis involved in the recent arrests had also participated in those prior protests. The call for ending the war and providing relief for Gaza's civilians has gained broader support as a hunger crisis in Gaza has drawn international attention.

Over the last two months, more than 23,500 Jews — including over 750 rabbis and over 100 Jewish congregations, synagogues, and organisations — have signed a statement titled “Jews for Food Aid for People in Gaza.” Additionally, over 1,000 rabbis recently signed an open letter demanding that Israel “stop using starvation as a weapon of war,” an accusation Israel denies.

Lawmakers from both political parties, as well as President Donald Trump and other global leaders, have expressed concern for Gaza’s civilians. Israel has announced plans to pause military operations in parts of Gaza for 10 hours daily to facilitate humanitarian aid distribution.

During the sit-in in Thune’s office, one rabbi declared, “We are here to demand that our elected officials protect life and take immediate action to end the starvation for all people in Gaza, including Palestinians in Gaza and Israeli hostages who are still being held captive in Gaza.”

Two rabbis read excerpts from Lamentations, a text recited on the upcoming Jewish holiday Tisha B’Av that describes the siege of ancient Jerusalem. They translated a passage saying, “Little children beg for bread; none gives them a morsel.”

The rabbis then sang Psalm 23 to the tune traditionally used at Jewish funerals, before Capitol Police arrested and removed them from the Senate Office Building.

Among those arrested are prominent supporters of pro-Palestinian Jewish movements, including Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, former director of the social justice organising program at the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College; Rabbi Abby Stein, the first openly transgender female rabbi from a Hasidic background; and Rabbi Andrue Kahn, a Brooklyn-based Reform rabbi leading the historically anti-Zionist American Council for Judaism. Rabbi Amelia Wolf, leader of the Conservative congregation Etz Hayim in Arlington, Virginia, was also detained.

Rabbi Alissa Wise, founding director of Rabbis for Ceasefire, stated, “This is about life and death. Our most urgent spiritual responsibility as Jews and as rabbis is to protect life. All life is sacred, but Palestinian lives are not treated as such, and that is a blot on our collective humanity. We are here to insist on the sanctity of the life of every Palestinian, of every Israeli, of all of us.”

The arrests followed the previous day’s protest outside the Israeli Consulate in New York City, organised by T’ruah and the New York Jewish Agenda. There, rabbis and hundreds of demonstrators called for increased aid to Gaza, an end to the war, and the return of all hostages.

The eight rabbis arrested in New York were held for over two hours in a Manhattan jail before their release, according to an Instagram post by Rabbi Evan Traylor, assistant rabbi at Congregation Beth Elohim in Brooklyn.

Traylor wrote, “I’m okay, and will continue speaking and working for an end to the starvation of Gaza, the return of the hostages, an end to the war, and true justice and peace for all people in Israel/Palestine.”

By Tamilla Hasanova