New York Celebrates Israel's 60th Birthday
Thousands of New Yorkers turned out yesterday to celebrate Israel's 60th birthday at the Salute to Israel Parade along Fifth Avenue.
Konrad Fiedler
The Salute to Israel Parade marched up Fifth Avenue yesterday. Israel celebrates its 60th year as a country.
Cheers, conversation, and song could be heard in both English and Hebrew among the attendees, who waved American and Israeli flags. Groups representing synagogues, schools, and community organizations in the tristate area participated.
An Israeli who immigrated to America 15 years ago, Tali Fox, led the Israel Scouts, an Israeli-culture youth group whose Manhattan chapter she founded. She said Israelis have always enjoyed a special bond with New York City, which is home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the world.
"I feel so much at home in this city," Ms. Fox said. "Especially after 9/11, I've felt a big openness in the American Jewish community to the Israeli community."
New York's parades are traditionally an important stop for local politicians at all levels, and yesterday's celebrations were no exception. Governor Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg, and Governor Corzine of New Jersey led the parade route, along with a variety of local elected officials and political hopefuls.
Folk dancers, high school marching bands, and singers entertained the crowd. One performance that drew particular attention — and praise from Mr. Bloomberg at a speech in Midtown earlier in the day — came from the dozens of shofar blowers who filled the air with trumpetlike blasts from their instruments, made from rams' horns.
A street vendor who sells sodas and candy in the city, Michael Felix, organized the shofar group, sending out Internet requests for participants.
"I decided for the 60-year anniversary to try to get 60 people or more," Mr. Felix said yesterday, carrying his horn. "It's our gathering sound. It's the sound of the calling of troops together, it's the call to come to temple."
