RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (JTA) — Over 1,000 Brazilians rallied in five cities calling for peace in Israel.
Demonstrators on Sunday marched along the Paulista Avenue, the main business avenue in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city with some 20 million residents and home to 60,000 Jews.
“We are very proud to gather such Zionists and engaged people who speak up for Israel’s right to defend itself and condemn terrorism. Am yisrael chai [‘the people of Israel live],” Persio Bider, head of the Organized Jewish Youth organization, told JTA.
The demonstrators wore blue and white, carried Israeli flags, and sang Israel’s national anthem and Hebrew songs. Many evangelical Christians joined the rally.
Smaller simultaneous rallies also took place in Belem, Fortaleza, Porto Alegre and Natal. A major rally is scheduled for Rio de Janeiro, home to some 40,000 Jews, on Nov. 29.
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