By Becca Diamond

My week began with Rosh Chodesh at the Kotel and ended with Havdalah at the Prime Minister’s residence. In the span of that week, the relationship between the Israeli government and the Jewish diaspora faltered in response to Prime Minister Netanyahu’s decision to renege on the agreement to fully build an egalitarian prayer space at the Kotel, and to limit recognized conversions to those under the supervision of the Orthodox Chief Rabbinate.

The scope of these two decisions are very specific, but the implications of their messages are devastating to non-Orthodox Jews. The Kotel decision is intended to define how Judaism can be practiced, and the conversion bill is intended to control who can be Jewish.

The purpose of the protest on Saturday evening was to send a counter-message: that Jews practice in many ways and come from many places, and that it is possible and critical that we come together as a unified Jewish people. Over a thousand people assembled on that sidewalk in the middle of Jerusalem, eventually filling the street. There was a sense of connection across all our divides: American and Israeli, liberal and traditional, male and female. No one booed or threw stones, no one screamed or whistled; instead, we all sang Debbie Friedman’s version of Birkat Havdalah, a melody I’ve sung at synagogue, NFTY, and at Eisner, our voices joining together as one.

Those wearing kippot and tallitot stood alongside those without, and we waved signs saying “Bibi, I am Jewish too.” The crowd included people from the Masorti movement, the Reform movement, Women of the Wall, many secular Jews, and even Orthodox men and women. I felt at home among this diverse group, and proud that we could pray with a common purpose. This community spirit proved that pluralism is not only possible, but that Jews from every denomination are willing to work to make pluralism a sustainable reality.

The most powerful moment was the conclusion, when we sang “Hatikvah.” Although “Hatikvah” is the national anthem of the State of Israel, that night, it represented the common purpose of the global Jewish people. As I sang those words, I felt proud to wrap myself in tzitzit and raise my voice in prayer.

Becca Diamond is a former Eisner camper and staff member from New Jersey. She is currently living and studying in Jerusalem for her Year in Israel as a rabbinical student at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion.