By Hallie Sternblitz

As a student at Georgetown University in a time when college campuses have been plagued by the terrors of antisemitism, the obligation to speak out against Jew hatred resonated deeply within me. Despite the worries of my friends and family that I was putting myself in harm’s way, I joined a group of Georgetown students in attending the rally. As we walked closer and closer to the National Mall, the streets slowly began to feel more crowded, and one-by-one, I watched the entire area transform into a sea of kippot.

In that moment, completely enveloped by Jewish pride, I had never felt more safe.

For so many of us, this rally was an escape from the daily antisemitism that has infiltrated our new realities. My own sense of Jewish unity was amplified by reuniting with my congregation at the rally and being surrounded by those that remind me of my faith, especially coming from a small Jewish community at Georgetown. My feelings echoed the sentiments of speaker Alana Zeitchik, a family member of multiple hostages. “This unwavering love of family is the heart of what it means to be Jewish. It is, more importantly, the heart of what it means to be human,” she said. I felt that distinctly Jewish love of family there on the national mall; I was surrounded by family.

Hallie Sternblitz, a Dallas native, is a sophomore at Georgetown University.