A large group gathered in Bishops Corner on Sunday, June 8, marking the one-year anniversary of weekly marches in West Hartford.

Run for Our Lives March for Israel event in West Hartford. June 8, 2025. Courtesy photo

Submitted by Robin Kipnis

On Sunday, June 8, a crowd  group of approximately 200 people participated in the local “Run for our Lives March for Israel” in West Hartford.

Security for the  weekly march was strengthened out of concern for the increasing violence against the Jewish community especially after the  vicious attack on Run for Our Lives marchers in Boulder, Colorado. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and West Hartford Board of Education member Ethan Goldman marched in solidarity with the marchers who march to call for the immediate release of the hostages viviously kidnapped by Hamas from their homes and communities in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Run for Our Lives March for Israel event in West Hartford. June 8, 2025. Photo credit: Robert Fiedler

Sunday’s event represented the one-year anniversary of these West Hartford marches, a sad milestone for the weekly event and many gathered to mourn and remember the marchers in Boulder. Sen. Blumenthal praised and encouraged the marchers: “You’re telling the world we will not be intimidated. We will not be frightened, we will not back down, we will not abandon the rights of free expression.”

Greater Hartford for Israel founder and one of the organizers of the marches, Ari Schaffer, highlighted that the on-going weekly marches are “a testament to the Greater Hartford community’s recognition of the plight of the hostage, its support for Israel  as well as a painful recognition that those that have been kidnaped and held by Hamas have been suffering in Gaza for an extraordinary length of time. Every week we worry whether it will be the week that someone attacks us for raising awareness of the plight of those oppressed by terrorism around the world.”

Run for Our Lives March for Israel event in West Hartford. June 8, 2025. Photo credit: Robert Fiedler

Although the one-year anniversary was a grim milestone, there was also relief and celebration for the release of the last remaining American hostage, Edan Alexander on May 12 after 18 months in Hamas captivity. Alexander was born in Tenafly, New Jersey.

The Greater Hartford for Israel Sunday marches are part of a global initiative of weekly marches titled “Run for Their Lives” that calls for the immediate release of the hostages and endeavors to keep focus on the plight of the 250 hostages. Fifty-eight hostages are still being held in captivity in Gaza.

Run for Our Lives March for Israel event in West Hartford. June 8, 2025. Photo credit: Robert Fiedler

Run for Our Lives March for Israel event in West Hartford. June 8, 2025. Courtesy photo

Run for Our Lives March for Israel event in West Hartford. June 8, 2025. Courtesy photo

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford! Click the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.