New York, NY – Thousands of spectators lined an almost mile long stretch of 5th Avenue, as they turned out for the 50th Annual Celebrate Israel Parade, which included appearances from elected officials, Israeli dignitaries, entertainers, 15 bands, more than 30 floats and 35,000 marchers from over 200 different organizations.
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The day’s festivities actually began last night, as the Empire State Building shone with blue and white lights in honor of the parade and resumed early this morning with a four mile Celebrate Israel Run at 8:30 AM through a course designed to represent a run through Israel, accompanied by a childrens’ race at 9:30 AM.
Marchers began their procession down 5th Avenue at 11 AM at 57th Street and the major midtown thoroughfare was transformed into a sea of color as t-shirt clad participants carrying banners, balloons and more proclaimed their solidarity with Israel. Parade goers throughout the route, which stretched northward to 74th Street, were treated to upbeat music and showers of lollipops, necklaces and other trinkets, as various schools, organizations, synagogues and marching bands took their place among the rainbow hued floats and processions.
“It is very important to be here with colleagues from the Knesset to show our thanks for the support that we are getting from the Jewish community around the world,” MK Dov Lipman told VIN News. “We hope that we can always strengthen that connection.”
Lipman also commented on the highly controversial Chareidi draft saying, “It is the most important transition that could happen. Secular Israel will appreciate the Torah and the Torah community as it integrates into the army and national service and the workplace. It is the most important thing we can do for all of Am Yisrael.”
Congressman Elliot Engel noted that in his 26 years in congress, he has never once missed the annual event.
“I’m a native New Yorker and this is great,” said Engel. “The best thing here is the young people. You see so many of them and you know that Israel and the US are going to continue to be strong allies.”
Just days after the papal visit to Israel, Father Brian McWeeney of the archdiocese of New York took to the streets of 5th Avenue with Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis.
“I am following my holy father who visited Israel last week,” said Father McWeeney. “I figured I could go down the block and be part of this wonderful parade.”
Rabbi Potasnik viewed today’s celebration as an expression of achdus among the Jewish community.
“This is one of those special moments in life where one and one equals one,” said Rabbi Potasnik. “We are different, but we are together.”
“Every single Jew should be here,” added activist Devorah Halberstam, who became a noted figure in the war on terrorism after her son Ari was killed in a terror attack on the Brooklyn Bridge twenty years ago. “If not our own, then who else?”
New this year for the golden anniversary of the parade as a fifteen plane flyover by the US IL Flying Club, a group of pilots and aviation fans from the United States and Israel. In addition to unicyclists, stilt-walkers, camels and other curiosities was the appearance of the organization Space IL which, as part of the international 2015 Google Lunar XPrize competition, is working on the creating first Israeli spacecraft to land on the moon.
But for most parade goers, the blue skies, lively music and the endless sea of Israeli flags were the highlight of the day.
“The weather is perfect,” said New York State Comptroller Tom di Napoli. “It is the 50th anniversary of the parade, the 66th anniversary of Israel and there is such enthusiastic support and love for the State of Israel from the heart of New York.”
“It is wonderful that people are coming not only from New York but from all over to celebrate Israel,” added Bronx Assemblyman Jeffery Dinowitz.
Groups large and small came out today to march up 5th Avenue.
“I have been coming here for 25 years,” said Rabbi Gedalia Oppen, principal of Judaic Studies at Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway, who was heading up a delegation of over 1300 students. “We are very, very excited and want to show our support for Israel.”
“We have about 300 people here today,” said David Sharvit, coordinator Recruitment and Volunteer Departments at OHEL. “We have 200 from OHEL and 100 from Camp Kaylie. We are super excited to stand with Israel and show our support.”
Anti-gay Orthodox Jews lined up behind police barricades to voice their opposition to same-sex marriage. And some parade participants marched to oppose the purchase of Israeli products made by Jewish settlers in the West Bank.
A group of spectators hoisted signs that read “Jews don’t boycott Jews.”
The big problem still stays! “THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL IS ANTI RELIGION!”
I participated in the parade with my family. The turnout was not as good as in years past.
Most of those marching are from secular organizations. There are very few frum participants. It is not easy to stand behind barricades for several hours, with the crowds, especially in the warmer weather. It is best to watch the parade from the comfort of a hotel, if possible.
To Parade: If our boys can be chayalim and protect us in the “warmer weather” I think we can stay outside for a few hours in the sun. Or the rain for that matter. If there’s a health issue it’s another story, but I saw many people in my town in New Jersey who just didn’t want to make the trip, take their children outside to the park. I think it’s terrible!
the turnout was great! the weather was great!
the marchers were super!
I would like to see everyone shpritzing them with water as they pass.
You had more marchers then people who were watching, the parade itself is a joke, a bunch of schools a few floats and a gaggle of polticos, its very dumb and not colorfull