A sea of blue and white Star of David flags was on display in Midtown Manhattan Sunday as thousands of onlookers cheered on over 250 Jewish groups with about 40,000 participants marching in this year’s “Celebrate Israel Parade.”
Under the banner “Israel @75: Renewing the Hope,” this year’s march was especially meaningful to the Jewish community as it celebrated the 75th Birthday of the Jewish State. Organizers said the theme aimed to bring the Jewish people closer together despite their political differences and inspire hope for lasting peace, health, and happiness.
Jewish people from the greater New York area have been coming together since 1965 to show their solidarity with the Jewish state at the annual parade, which is organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY) and the United Jewish Appeal (UJA) of New York and Greater New Jersey.
The joyous festivities and celebration of Israel’s independence kicked off shortly after 11 a.m. at 57th Street and Fifth Avenue and ended at 73rd Street at 4 p.m. Marchers and elected officials such as Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams enjoyed the exuberant atmosphere.
It was the first time for a group of Israeli scouts to march in the parade, and they shared were excited to see and connect to Jewish people around the world, especially in New York City.
“It’s important to us to have this connection with all the Jewish of the world,” Ariel Shovavo said. “Because I believe that with the Jewish here, we can stay strong in Israel.”
For Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, chaplain for the FDNY, the “Celebrate Israel Parade” was a day for Jewish and non-Jewish people to come together and celebrate Israel.
“As a child of survivors, my parents didn’t go to Israel, but I’ve been there, but at least they live to see the creation of the State of Israel,” Potasnik told amNewYork Metro.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said it was an exciting year to celebrate Israel’s 75 Birthday and to show the Jewish community that New York City was standing with them.
“I think today we’re sending a very strong message that anti-semitism will never be tolerated in our city,” Richards said, addressing the rise of alarming numbers of antisemitic incidents across the U.S. “We reaffirm our commitment to the Jewish community every single day to the work we do. So it’s a really great time to be here.”
Eddie Esses, who grew up in Brooklyn and now lives on the Upper East Side, has been coming to the parade every year to celebrate the “amazing country of Israel.”
Esses said that Israel has been a “miracle for 75 years.”
“Like every country, it’s had its trials, and you know it’s difficult moments, especially recently,” Esses said. “But despite all that, we saw justice. We saw the power of Israel and Israel’s people and Israeli democracy over the past couple of months.”
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