Let’s Not Forget About the Parade!

Last Sunday, May 31, 2026, I experienced a wonderful day of Jewish unity and support. Jews and allies from around the world gathered to march in the annual Israel Day on Fifth Parade in New York City. There was extreme security to make certain that no violence would occur. On the Jewish side, that really isn’t a problem. There is evidence that only when the anti-Israel side protests, do they call for violence against Jews, Israel and those supporting Israel.

It was a glorious day! The sun was shining as a sea of Israeli and American flags were waving down Fifth Avenue. To participate in such a mass of Jewish celebration of Israel and the Jewish people was exhilarating.

I feel we must focus on the positivity and enthusiasm that filled the day. I was honored to be the lead volunteer for the Hadassah delegation at the parade. Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, founded in 1912 has always had a contingent marching at this parade in support of Israel. For many years, we have been part of the American Zionist Movement cohort. The AZM is an umbrella organization with membership of Jewish and Zionist organizations from across the ideological, religious and political spectrum. Hadassah was a founding member of this coalition.

Our float included representatives from the Jewish Agency for Israel and the World Zionist Organization. This year we had a Druze delegation joining our cohort as well as a group of the American Zionist Youth Council which represents teens from across the US from various youth movements including NCSY, USY, NFTY, Young Judaea, BBYO, Hatzofim, Club Z, Bnei Akiva, SSI, HaShomer HaTzair USA, and Habonim Dror. Our float drove down Fifth Avenue to the beat of Israeli music from the band TLV, and the rhythm of our raised voices singing and dancing down the avenue.

I have been going to the Israel Day Parade on and off for almost 40 years. Sometimes I’m a marcher and sometimes I’m a spectator. But every time, I am a die-hard Zionist wearing my blue and white pride. I support Israel, I support Am Yisrael.

This year the parade and environment around the parade felt different. This year participating in the parade was not just an act of solidarity with the Jewish People, but rather, it felt like an act of defiance against the forces that have been trying to destroy Israel and delegitimize the Jewish State.

The mayor of NY openly chose not to attend. He set a record for the height of hypocrisy, claiming that he supports all New Yorkers, just not those who support Israel.

NYC hosts the largest Jewish community outside of Israel. By claiming he’s simply against Israel as a Jewish state, and not against the Jewish People is ridiculous. He was clearly telling the majority of Jews living in NY that he is against them.

The light in this darkness, is that Jews and allies came out in the tens of thousands. Reports claimed upwards of 50,000 people attended. Some claimed 100,000! We marched and sang “Am Yisrael Chai”, proudly and peacefully. We thanked all the police officers present and welcomed their support.

The only people calling for violence were the few protestors who were kept at bay by New York’s finest, the NYPD.

Personally, I will always wear my Judaism and my Zionism proudly. I’m grateful that so many others feel the same way. I know that whenever Jews get together to stand for Israel, they do so peacefully and gratefully. When we gather, we gather with pride and love. While we have many different opinions and many different expressions of our Judaism and our Zionism, we stand together when it counts. Am Yisrael Chai!