It seemed for a moment that the protest movements would slowly fade away, but on Saturday night the middle class proved that it was not about to give up. More than 300,000 people filled the streets of Tel Aviv and other cities across the country to state their case for social justice loudly and clearly, taking the mass protests sweeping the country to a level never seen before in Israel. The march in Tel Aviv, which some estimates say was 250,000-strong, started at Habima Square at 9 p.m. and headed toward the government compound building on Kaplan Street. Although the organizers had estimated that thousands would attend, even they were shocked to see so many swell their ranks after three weeks of continued protests throughout the country. As the evening progressed and the crowds neared the government compound across from Tel Aviv's iconic Azrieli towers, it became evident that this would be one of the largest demonstrations the country has ever seen. Huge television screens flanked the sides of major roads, showing real-time video of speakers and performers, including stars Shlomo Artzi, Yehudit Ravitz and Rita, all on hand to support the cause. We must make it known that the people are taking the country into their own hands, protest organizer Yonatan Levy said. "We are not going anywhere until our demands are met. The protests are about a government that is disconnected from 90 percent of its citizens. It's a display of power the likes of which hasn't been seen in this country for years. The atmosphere here is fantastic, exciting, Yael, a protester in Tel Aviv said. There is a feeling that we are making history, and I hope that the government does not try to sweep this under the rug with spins and false promises. There is solidarity here. People understand that we have power now and we can't be ignored. If they would have told me a few weeks ago that the people of Israel would hit the streets to demand better living conditions, I would have said that this was a dream, singer Rita said, before performing the song It Will Come. Following her on stage was National Student Union chairman Itzik Shmuli, who said, Hundreds of thousands have joined us in the streets. They are here to tell one another and the state, that they love Israel with all their hearts. Perhaps this country is ready to give up on us, but we are not ready to give up on this country. We are not ready to give up on our dream to build a home here, to raise our children here. We, the young people, the students, are here now to shout, We have the power to change things!' Demanding humanitarian economics Shmuli addressed claims that the protesters' alleged goal was to topple the government, saying, We are not talking about replacing any specific leader. We are not asking for a replacement of the coalition, which was elected by the people. We, the youth, are only demanding a replacement of cruel economic policies. We demand a more humanitarian economy, rather than the current one that is trampling us. We want an economy that understands people's distress, not one that is only focused on calculating numbers. We demand a better balance between a free economy and a humanitarian economy. We demand a more serious approach to closing social gaps, and a broader solution to basic citizens needs, particularly for the weaker among us. Shmuli also addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly, saying, Netanyahu, we are not modern slaves. You don't give us hope. We are the cream of the crop, and we want change. Former Hadash socialist party MK and activist Charlie Biton also took the stage and said, "I have waited for this moment for 40 years, and now it has arrived. For me, this is like establishing the state all over again. I call upon low-income communities to come and take a look at this struggle and take part in it. This is a struggle for all of us. There is no Left or Right, only all of us together. Shlomo Artzi, one of Israel's most iconic and popular singers, took the stage and asked the crowds, What should I sing for you- The people want social justice!" the crowd yelled back. Artzi invited several protest organizers onto the stage to sing with him, including Stav Shapir, Daphni Leef and Regev Kuntas. Asaf Yakobovitch, 33, a medical resident from the southern town of Kiryat Gat specializing in psychology, spoke of the distress he and his colleagues were feeling. We cannot earn a decent living, and our situation reflects the situation of the entire public health system, which is collapsing, Yakobovitch said. That is why we are demanding from the government, which is responsible for this, to increase the budget of the public health system, which will improve the work conditions of medical residents as well as enable every citizen to obtain proper mental health services. Protester Moran Levy, 26, expressed hope that the government would notice the common thread between all the protesters' many demands. Quality education, public health services, and affordable housing -- all these are interconnected, and we can't ignore them, Levy said. Jerusalem marches too Protests in Jerusalem also broke records Saturday evening, with 30,000 people taking to the streets to voice their message near the prime minister's official residence. Under a banner saying Give the country back to the people, tens of thousands of students, families of police officers, homeless, and others marched from the Horse Sculpture Garden in the city center, site of the city's tent community, to Paris Square, where the main ceremony was held. Protesters held banners, some of which said, The budget belongs to the people, We're spoiled? You're disconnected! and Not Left and not Right, responsibility above all. Many protesters sensed a feeling of community awakening. This is history in the making, shouted one protester. It's amazing, yelled another. One 30-year-old protester said, We are fighting for our sanity, for normal lives. My husband and I struggle to make ends meet each month without overdrawing our bank accounts, and we can hardly afford to dream about buying our own apartment. We've had enough of this. Protest organizers in Jerusalem said they were surprised by the massive numbers at the march. We expected more to arrive than last week, of course. We handed out flyers and hung up posters, but the turnout exceeded our expectations, an organizer said. The gathering at Paris Square featured a public reading of Israel's Declaration of Independence, and performances by musician Mosh Ben-Ari and the popular band Ethnix.There were also speeches by the vice chairman of Jerusalems Feuerstein Center Rabbi Rafi Feuerstein, Israeli Arab author and journalist Sayed Kashua, and Jerusalem city councilor Rahel Azaria. Country-wide protests Thousands of citizens across the country, joined the protests on Saturday night. From Eilat in the south to Tel Hai in the north, masses from the country's peripheries took to the streets demanding affordable housing, better education and a change in the national priorities. I am tired of my children having decent jobs and not earning enough, Eilat resident Ora said. Why should I, a grandmother, have to help pay for their children's recreational activities, as well as their furniture, bags and other things they need for school? Something has to change in this country. In the north, more than 1,000 protesters blocked the Shomrim intersection, near Kiryat Tivon in the Haifa district. The protesters held banners calling for a reduction in the cost of living, and later blocked the Tishbi intersection near Yokneam as well, causing huge traffic jams. In Kiryat Shmona, more than 1,500 protesters blocked the Metzudot intersection and marched to the Tel Hai Boulevard, where a mass gathering was held, including a performance by singer Shlomi Shaban.
