Chicago’s Jewish community celebrates Israel Independence Day at Daley Plaza
CHICAGO — Chicago’s Jewish community is celebrating Israel’s Independence Day at Daley Plaza on Tuesday afternoon, marking the 76th anniversary of Israel declaring its independence on May 14, 1948.
Meanwhile, a pro-Palestine rally also scheduled for nearly the same time at Daley Plaza brought few attendees.
Tight security was present at the Israel Independence Day event that got underway around midday with several high-ranking Israeli officials set to speak.
Along with a flag-raising ceremony, organizers are honoring the hostages taken during Hamas’ attack into Israel on Oct. 7. Since then, Israel continues its attacks in Gaza, as it tries to destroy Hamas, a designated terrorist organization. Caught in the middle of the Israel-Hamas war are thousands of Palestinians.
More on the Israel-Hamas conflict HERE
Tuesday’s Israel Independence Day rally and ceremony is being led by the Israeli Consulate, the Jewish United Fund and other Jewish organizations.
Campus protests
This year’s Israel Independence Day comes as protests against the war and Israel’s handling of it have broken out on college campuses across the country, including in Chicagoland.
The last protest encampment standing in Chicago is the one at DePaul University in Lincoln Park. Demonstrators are demanding an end to the war in Gaza and for the university to divest from businesses tied to Israel.
DePaul’s administration said negotiations have come to an impasse, and demonstrators are now preparing for what will come next.
READ MORE: Pro-Palestinian encampment reaches into third week at DePaul University
The DePaul protesters, known as the DePaul Divestment Coalition, say they will not back down or pack up their encampment until their list of demands to university administrators is met. University administrators had requested the protesters to dismantle their encampment — which has been up on the quad since April 30 — by noon this past Sunday, but the encampment is now into its third week.
With the encampment still on the quad, university officials on Monday night canceled the annual DePaul Fest, scheduled for this Friday, May 17, reports The DePaulia, the school’s student newspaper.
READ MORE: Annual DePaul Fest canceled by university officials, reports student newspaper
Antisemitism rising
Meanwhile, Israel Independence Day arrives Tuesday as cases of antisemitism across the country are on the rise.
On Monday morning, people living in Chicago’s West Ridge neighborhood woke up to find antisemitic cardboard flyers on their cars in the 2900 block of West Sherwin Avenue, where a large number of Jewish people live. Police are investigating the incident.
READ MORE: Antisemitic flyers found in West Ridge
There have now been multiple incidents of antisemitic flyers being found in Chicago this year (see below):
READ MORE: Bags with anti-Semitic flyers, unknown substance found in Lincoln Park
READ MORE: Police investigate antisemitic flyers on cars in Lincoln Park
“It makes you, first of all, unsettled,” West Ridge resident Shalom Chinn said. “There’s a lot of campus issues these days against the Jewish people, a lot of divide in the world that we live in today.
“It just brings it home a little bit more that it’s actually on our block right now.”
Organizers of Tuesday’s Israel Independence Day rally in Daley Plaza say they’ve coordinated security with Chicago police. Bags, along with signs and flags on long poles, will not be allowed into the event.
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