Akm Shehabuddin Kisslu : Thousands of participants marched in New York’s Israel Day on Fifth Parade on Sunday. Participants were needed credentials to join the parade. Unlike previously called “Celebrate Israel” This year, it was renamed “Israel Day on 5th” and focused on remembering the hostages seized by Hamas on Oct. 7.
Over 70 family members of the hostages headed up a contingent of about couple of thousands marchers representing the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. While almost every marching group, which included the Israeli Tzofim scouts and contingents from numerous Jewish day schools, wore “Bring Them Home Now” dog tag necklaces, and led chants calling for the same.
Spectators holding Israeli flags ran five rows deep along one side of Fifth Avenue. The other side, closed to the public, was lined with fences bearing photos of hostages who were abducted from southern Israel by terrorists on October 7 and taken to Gaza.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, the US Senate majority leader Senator Chuck Schumer, the attorney general of New York Letitia James, and New York city Mayor Eric Aadams were among the elected officials in attendance as the parade kicked off. Spectators came from around the New York City region and as far as Israel. Carrying banners and political messages marchers showed the unity in their determination to show up for Israel and the Jewish people as a whole.
Speaking at the rally Senate Majority Leader Schumer said ‘Hamas is evil and that we will defeat Hamas.”
New York city Mayor Adams called for the destruction of Hamas and the return of the hostages. “Let’s bring peace so we don’t lose lives of innocent people,” he added.
Security at this year’s parade was noticeably higher than in years past. And the event was mostly peaceful and drew very few protesters. Police barricades, chain-link fences and checkpoints limited access to the route.
