Philadelphia’s Jewish community and supporters gathered for a peaceful march and bike ride from the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps to the Liberty Bell on Sunday, celebrating Jewish pride, unity, and community resilience in the Jewish Life Cycle March and Ride for Israel.
Organized by the Philadelphia Israel Alliance, a coalition that includes the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia, the American Jewish Committee, End Jew Hatred, Hadassah, and the historic Spanish and Portuguese Congregation Mikveh Israel, the event brought together community members from across the region.
The gathering follows a controversial bike boycott held earlier this month by anti-Israel groups targeting Jewish and Israeli-owned businesses on the anniversary of Kristallnacht when, in 1938, on the night of November 9-10, synagogues and Jewish businesses were vandalized in Nazi Germany, Austria, and today’s Czech Republic (then known as the “Sudetenland”).
The bike campaign drew widespread condemnation from activist groups, Jewish communal organizations, and public officials before a communal counter-response heavily overshadowed it, in which residents and allies filled the targeted local establishments in a show of solidarity.
Speaking ahead of the march to The Jerusalem Post, Rachel Aliev, co-chair of the Chevra Sisterhood, an organization within the alliance representing young Jewish professionals, said organizers expected hundreds of participants.
While opposing groups had scheduled a concurrent bike protest for the same time, Aliev noted that the ride was conceived not as a direct counter-protest but as an independent expression of community pride. She added her hope that the strong turnout would help inspire the return of large-scale public traditions such as Israel Day parades at Rittenhouse Square.
Viral flyer sparks Philadelphia’s ride for Israel
Aliev said the initiative was sparked by local community members determined to turn recent tension into a positive display of unity.
After Aryeh Shalom, co-manager of The Chevra, posted an impromptu flyer online that quickly garnered over 100,000 shares, organizers swiftly coordinated with city authorities to secure permits and police protection.
Speaking with the Post on his way to the rally, Shalom said that he initially envisioned a small, peaceful outing for young professionals carrying American and Israeli flags, until the flyer went viral overnight.
The initial boycott’s route near the Philadelphia Museum of Art on the eve of Kristallnacht struck a deeply personal chord for Shalom. A father of three daughters raised to wear Jewish symbols openly and proudly, he recalled frequently renting bikes near the museum steps to ride with them through the city for ice cream and coffee.
Shalom said that following October 7, visibly Jewish residents have increasingly faced verbal harassment and accusations of genocide while simply walking into neighborhood coffee shops or convenience stores, a climate of intimidation he organized the ride to push back against, calling on both Jewish community members and non-Jewish allies to march together for shared American and Jewish values.
“I don’t want my children to be afraid. I don’t want my children to have to hide their Jewish identity,” Shalom said.
“I want my children and all of the children of the world to be able to grow up in a world where they don’t have to be afraid, where they can continue being a Light unto the Nations and continue bringing peace, love, and light into the world.”
‘This is not a counterprotest'
Addressing participants during her opening remarks at Sunday’s march, Aliev noted the gathering’s mission.
“I want to be clear about why we’re here,” she said. “This is not a counterprotest. We are not here to make someone else’s message louder by arguing with it. We are here to share our own.
“A message of Jewish and American pride. Of love for our people, our community, but also a deep love for our home here in Philadelphia, and for our beautiful country, the United States.
“Today, we are showing up together to say that being Jewish means belonging to something big, beautiful, and enduring.”
“We are a people who fear God and God alone,” Aliev added. “We will not be intimidated into hiding who we are, distancing ourselves from one another, or abandoning our purpose: to spread light. And today, that light is all of you.”
Drawing participants from Philadelphia as well as surrounding suburban communities, including South Jersey, featuring a large contingent from the Syrian Jewish community, alongside Monroe, Lower Merion, and the Lawrence area, Sunday’s event brought together families, local leaders, and interfaith allies.
The program featured live music, prayers, and a closing ceremony near the Liberty Bell, offering kosher food from local Israeli-owned businesses.
Stephanie Spielman, a Philadelphia resident and founder of the newly launched organization Expose Antizionism Now, attended the march and told the Post:
“I’m very excited to see such momentum building in Philadelphia where the Jewish community is gaining the confidence to speak up for ourselves, our safety, and our rights. We have such a tremendous track record of showing up for others, and it’s empowering to see us showing up for ourselves.”