Celebrate Israel Parade

Celebrate Israel Parade (originally Youth Salute to Israel Parade then Salute to Israel Parade) is an annual parade in support of Israel that takes place along Fifth Avenue in New York. The parade travels north on Fifth Avenue from 57th Street to 74th Street.[1]

Israeli flags flown at the parade

According to the organizers of the parade, it is the largest gathering in the world in support of Israel. It has been held annually in New York City since 1964.

Contingents of marchers come from the New York metropolitan area as well as from other parts of the country Jewish day schools, Synagogues, Youth Groups, Hillels and other organizations including the Chai Riders Motorcycle Club. Marchers also include prominent local politicians. On the same day as the parade, although not officially associated with it is, festivities including a concert in Central Park where kosher food is offered by local vendors. The Empire State Building lights its tower lights in a blue and white.[2]

History

In 1964 Haim Zohar, Charles Bick, Ted Comet, Alvin Schiff, and Dan Ronen worked together in order to plan a demonstration of American Jewish solidarity with Israel. They coordinated with the Manhattan Day School to march from their school to a theater on Broadway. This March was known as the Youth Salute to Israel Parade.[3]

In 1965 David Ben Gurion visited New York. Thousands of people stood on 5th Avenue watching Ben Gurion, in an impromptu event. This later created parade route followed in future years.[4]

In 2011, the parade was renamed the Celebrate Israel Parade in a launch event at the Edison Ballroom in Midtown Manhattan.[1]

2020 saw the parade go virtual.

United Kingdom parade

In July 2007 the United Kingdom-based Jewish Leadership Council, together with other UK Jewish groups announced that a UK Salute to Israel parade would be held in Central London and Manchester on June 29, 2008 as part of the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the creation of the State of Israel.[5] These events attracted over 45,000 people to simultaneous street parades followed by open air rallies in Trafalgar Square London and Heaton Park Manchester.

Parade history
Parade
Number		 Israel's
Anniversary		 Year Date Theme Marchers Notes
0 16 1964 Original Youth Salute to Israel Parade by Manhattan Day School
1 17 1965 Impromptu parade on 5th Avenue in honor of David Ben Gurion's visit
2 18 1966
3 19 1967 Shortly before the Six-Day War, drew a quarter-million people[6]
4 20 1968
5 21 1969
6 22 1970
7 23 1971
8 24 1972
9 25 1973
10 26 1974
11 27 1975
12 28 1976
13 29 1977
14 30 1978
15 31 1979
16 32 1980
17 33 1981
18 34 1982
19 35 1983
20 36 1984
21 37 1985
22 38 1986
23 39 1987
24 40 1988
25 41 1989
26 42 1990
27 43 1991
28 44 1992
29 45 1993
30 46 1994
31 47 1995 May 21[7]
32 48 1996
33 49 1997
34 50 1998
35 51 1999
36 52 2000
37 53 2001
38 54 2002 100,000[8] 750,000 spectators[8]
39 55 2003
40 56 2004
41 57 2005
42 58 2006
43 59 2007
44 60 2008 First UK Salute to Israel parade[5]
45 61 2009
46 62 2010
47 63 2011 June 5[9] Celebrate Israel Parade was renamed from Salute to Israel Parade
48 64 2012 Israel Branches Out…[10] First contingent of LGBT marchers[11]
49 65 2013 June 2 Picture Israel; The Art & the Craft[10] 35,000[12]
50 66 2014 June 1[13] 50 Reasons to Celebrate Israel[10] 35,000[14]
51 67 2015 Israel Imagines[10] 40,000[15] Knesset members Avraham Naguise, Yoav Ben-Tzur, Revital Swid, Ksenia Svetlova and Ofir Akunis led the parade with New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.[16]
52 68 2016 June 5 Sight, Sound & Spirit[10] 30,000[17] Andrew Cuomo announced the signing off Executive Order 157, baring the BDS Movement[18]
53 69 2017 June 4 Celebrate Israel Together[19] 40,000[20] Opera star David Serero performed the U.S and Israel anthems for the opening of the parade.[21][22] Andrew Cuomo prior to the parade officially declared it Shimon Peres Day.[23]
54 70 2018 June 3 70 and Sababa! (70 & Awesome!) [24] 50,000 [25]
55 71 2019 June 2 Only in Israel – Rak B’Yisrael [26] 40,000[27] Theodore Comet, who created the parade, marched in the 2019 parade, marking the 55th anniversary of the parade. Comet was 95 at the time. [28]

References
  1. "The Story of the Parade". Salute to Israel. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  2. "Empire State Building Will Shine Blue and White for 'Celebrate Israel Parade'". Algemeiner.com.
  3. "The Salute to Israel Parade". Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.
  4. "The Jewish Voice - More Jewish News than the NYP, the NYT, the WSJ & the Daily News Combined". The Jewish Voice.
  5. "Salute to Israel UK". Salute to Israel UK. Archived from the original on 8 September 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  6. Nathan-KazisMay 31, Josh; Images, 2012getty. "Memories From Israel Parade Founder". The Forward.
  7. "American Jewish Year Book, 1996". VNR AG. July 1, 1995 – via Google Books.
  8. "35,000 marchers expected Sunday for New York's annual Israel parade". www.timesofisrael.com.
  9. "Salute to Israel". Salute to Israel. Retrieved 8 June 2011.
  10. HISTORY OF CELEBRATE ISRAEL PARADE
  11. "PHOTOS: Gay Jews March For First Time In Celebrate Israel Parade". HuffPost. June 5, 2012.
  12. "Huge Crowd, Tight Security For Celebrate Israel Parade". June 2, 2013.
  13. Dobnik, Verena. "sea of white and blue at nycs israelday Archived 2014-06-01 at Archive.today". Poststar.com. June 1, 2014. Accessed June 1, 2014.
  14. "Sea Of White And Blue At Celebrate Israel Parade". June 1, 2014.
  15. Julian, Hana Levi. "Marchers Danced Through Rain at 2015 NY Israel Day Parade".
  16. "MKs march in New York's Celebrate Israel Parade - Diaspora - Jerusalem Post". www.jpost.com.
  17. Forman, Abra (June 6, 2016). "NY Governor: If You Boycott Israel, New York Will Boycott You". Breaking Israel News | Latest News. Biblical Perspective.
  18. "Governor Cuomo Signs First-in-the-Nation Executive Order Directing Divestment of Public Funds Supporting BDS Campaign Against Israel". Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. June 5, 2016.
  19. "NYC turns blue and white for 53rd annual Celebrate Israel Parade - Diaspora - Jerusalem Post". www.jpost.com.
  20. "Celebrate Israel parade steps off in Manhattan". Newsday.
  21. "Rehearsal: David Serero sings the Hatikvah to open the Israel Parade 2017". June 4, 2017 – via YouTube.
  22. "Rehearsal: David Serero sings the US Anthem to open the Israel Parade 2017". June 4, 2017 – via YouTube.
  23. "Marchers turn out in NYC for annual Celebrate Israel parade".
  24. Leibovitz, Liel (4 June 2018). "As Tens of Thousands Celebrate Israel in New York, Many Wonder: Just What Does 'Sababa' Mean?". Tablet Magazine. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  25. Yellin, Deena. "Annual Celebrate Israel Parade draws large contingent from New Jersey". North Jersey. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  26. Wesson, Nora. "Turning Fifth Avenue Blue". jewishweek.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  27. "55th Annual "Celebrate Israel" Parade to Highlight the Rich & Vibrant Culture of the Jewish State". The Jewish Voice. 2 June 2019. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
  28. Brawarsky, Sandee. "At 95, Mastermind Behind Israel Parade Says He's Still 'A Work In Progress'". jewishweek.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
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