Israel Day Parade & Concert Roundup

**UPDATED** 9 JUN 2006

Drew Kaplan, a Rabbinical student at Yeshivat Chovevei Torah, has sent me a link to his YCT Chevre blog's post on marching with his Yeshiva at the Parade. Check out the future rebbes in action! Todah, Drew!

**UPDATED** 6 JUN 2006

Israel National News has a wrapup article on the events:

Hundreds of thousands marched in the annual Salute to Israel Day Parade in NY, and tens of thousands attended a concert in Central Park to support the Jewish communities of Judea and Samaria.

Read the whole thing! Israel National Radio has also posted all five hours of the live concert broadcast at the top of their site under the banner: Special live broadcast of annual Israel Day Concert. Check it out!!!

A Google Blog search for postings on the event revealed the following:

Pamela over at Atlas Shrugs has a great roundup complete with pictures AND video. Get excited.

Solomon publishes an email from a reader who compares and contrasts the event in New York with the Boston parade.

Still Wonderin' at Frum Chat Rooms comments on the slight disparities and prejudices among Jewish Americans, from Orthodox to secular. He declares: "There are all types of Jews out there. And I love all Jews."

Romach in some fairly obscure terms, contemplates, "A shame they can't have the concert without turning it into some political stunt," apparently having missed the central point of the concert. All in all, though, they had a nice day.

The Canonist overheard one goy's fumble at initiating a shidduch and comments on the crowd.

Batya at Shiloh Musings comments on Israel Day Parades of years past in enthusiasm for this year's celebration.

Drew Kaplan comments on marching for the Halakhic Organ Donor Society.

Becca at The Magic Jewball gives a fab recap complete with pics including one of a banner wishing Dr. Ruth a Happy Birthday.

Danny at Danny & Kelly comments, "It was almost like for a day everyone was Jewish and that we weren’t a minority."

Did you attend the parade? What did you think? Send comments and/or links to blog entries to conservajew AT yahoo DOT com.



4 JUN 2006

Sigh, the Israel Day Parade and Concert has come and gone. While I was not able to attend in person (last minute snafus being what they are) I was able to catch a majority of the live broadcast via Israel National Radio. What amazingly exciting stuff; the music itself was AWESOME. Some comments of note:

• The leader of the Zionist Organization of America declaring that [and I'm paraphrasing here]: The world won't notice or care that you're expelling 8,000 Jews from their homes; try expelling 70,000 Arab Israelis from their homes!
  
  
• One parade goer saying that he was at the festivities to usher in the era of Moshiach.
  
  
• Hearing Tovia Singer and Alex Trainman repeatedly comment in a tad of amazement that the majority of the concert-goers were young Jewish women. [Right ON!]
  
  
• Around 4:30 pm, just as the parade was ending, hearing one organizer tell the growing concert audience, "We're getting crowded on the east side; if everyone could, as they come in, just shift over to the west side, we still have plenty of room over here!"
  
  
• Listening to one former resident of Gush Katif declare [again, paraphrasing]: The Jews prayed to return to Jerusalem for 2,000 years; the residents of [a settlement in the West Bank] prayed to return to their homes for 19 years; hopefully, with HaShem's help, we will be returning to Gush Katif even sooner than that!
  
  
• Hearing Tovia Singer gush over Ahron Razel incessantly. [His music ROCKED, btw.]
  
  
• Listening to another concert organizer, or possibly a musician, state that we were definitely in the era of the geula (redemption).
  

After listening to nearly all of the four hour broadcast of the Israel Day Concert live on Arutz 7/Israel National Radio, I began Googling for news articles related to today's Salute to Israel Day festivities in Manhattan.

The New York Daily News took a minute to interview Salute to Israel Day Parade Grand Marshal Tovah Feldshuh. The actress, who most recently portrayed Golda Meir in the hit one-woman show "Golda" on Broadway, took the standard Jewish American artist's pass on Israeli politics. Claiming a lack of erudition when it comes to the Middle East, Feldshuh declared, "I love being an American Jew, I love my country... My leading this parade is a clear understanding that Israel is any Diaspora Jew's life insurance." Should that make any Israeli ask "Ma nishma?" in a double-take of confusion, rest assured, Feldshuh wants you for more than your miraculous deductible: "These Jews ain't going anywhere and those who support them aren't, either." Baruch haShem, Ms. Feldshuh; I'll second you on that one.

The Journal-News covers the various groups heading the parade under the auspices of the Jewish Federation of Rockland. The group's theme of unity, expressed as "Twelve Tribes: One Family," is an especially poignant one given the recent uproar sparked by A.B. Yehoshua's now-infamous comments made at the AJC centennial celebration one month ago. According to reporter Steve Lieberman, "The parade allows participants and spectators to express their solidarity with the Jewish state, a strong ally of the United States."

So far, these are the only two news articles on the event published in the American press; hopefully some decent wrapup articles will appear tomorrow morning. I'll also be seeking out J-blogger first-hand accounts; feel free to email links to conservajew AT yahoo DOT com.

And on behalf of the American Jews who feel no need to give the Statue of Liberty a consoling pat on the head and remind her that we love being Americans every time we wave an Israeli flag, I'd just like to say that seeing so many Jews and "lovers of Zion" (as Tovia Singer likes to call them) gather together to openly voice their support for the Jewish people and the Jewish land of Israel is absolutely, phenomenally uplifting, totally and completely exciting, and nothing short of a Blessing to HaShem. Baruch haShem, for He has seen that we do treasure the Apple of His Eye; may He, in His infinite mercy, act quickly on behalf of His people!!

Salute to Israel Day Parade
Israel Day Concert
Israel
Zionism
Jewish
New York City