Pro-Israel Atlantans Rally for the Jewish State
Norman & Lindy Radow swarmed by pro-Palestinian protest on Nov. 10. Local Atlantans joined nearly 300,000 in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14 for a rally to support Israel.
At about 9:30 p.m., Nov. 10, Atlantans Norman and Lindy Radow were just leaving a friend’s 60th birthday party in New York City, waiting for their Uber on 42nd Street when they were suddenly swarmed by a pro-Palestinian protest rally. New York police immediately surrounded them in a protective circle and escorted them into Grand Central Station where the doors were locked to keep out the protestors.
“The angry mob were shouting things so unconscionable to us,” Radow told the AJT, and “gleefully cheering the Hamas terrorists” who attacked Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7, killing 1,200, injuring thousands more and abducting some 240 hostages, including children and the elderly. “The police were wonderful, although I must confess, I wasn’t nice to the cops. I fought them tooth and nail.”
Perhaps tongue in cheek, Radow said he tried to “build bridges” with the protestors and yelled back “Am Yisrael Chai” [the people of Israel live] and “baby killers.” A video (embedded below) shows both his wife and the police trying to restrain Radow, dressed in a tuxedo.
Once in Grand Central with dozens of others finding safe haven from the protestors, Radow directed his wife to focus her phone video on him rather than the scene around them. There he made a speech to Americans which has since been shared on social media.
“Lindy and I were very upset. It was quite scary.” He was especially perturbed by the sight of protestors cheering on one of their own who had climbed up a pole to rip down both U.S. and United Nations flags, leaving only the Palestinian flag flying in the wind. And this was Veterans’ Day weekend.
He narrated, “We’ve just gone through the most remarkable experience.” While relating how the police protected them and ushered them into Grand Central before unlocking doors on 43rd Street to allow them out, he called the protesters “un-Americans who want to kill other Americans simply because they are not them. It is so sad, so frightful that we’ve come to this in our society. Is this the America I grew up with?” He compared the “vicious” crowd to brown shirts in Nazi Germany in 1933.
He ended his one-and-a-half-minute speech with “Am Yisrael Chai” and “G-d Bless America.”
While the Radows returned to Atlanta on Sunday, Nov. 12, Lindy Radow turned around two days later and flew to Washington, D.C. for the large rally in support of Israel on the National Mall. Radow said they own one plane and, because of demand, chartered another, then flew 22 people to the nation’s capital. Dozens of other Atlantans flew on commercial flights joining tens of thousands who traveled by buses, cars, and other planes from around the country.
A group flew together on at least one flight. Once in Washington, they traveled by the Metro from the airport into the city, singing the song, “Am Yisrael Chai.”
Just before the event started, with speeches from a number of dignitaries, Consulate General of Israel to the Southeast Anat Sultan-Dadon gathered with a number of Atlantans, and said, “I am proud to be a part of this historic event, a powerful demonstration of support of Israel, and proud that so many from the Atlanta community and the Southeast region are represented here. It is truly moving and heartwarming at this difficult time, to be a part of an event showcasing Israeli and Jewish pride, along with all who are standing with us now. Especially here in the United States, Israel’s greatest ally, we are so much stronger when we stand together.”
State Rep. Esther Panitch added, “I am proud to be a Jewish leader amongst hundreds of thousands of Jews, and the non-Jews who support us in our time of need, as Israel leads the fight against terror on behalf of the civilized world. We pray for the immediate return of all the hostages. Am Israel Chai!”
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