Let’s start from the top: During the annual parade, which goes through Central Park, central traffic arteries are blocked and hundreds of thousands of people stand on the sidewalks cheering for Israel; definitely heartwarming.
Despite the fact the event’s organizers tried to set politics aside, thousands attended the parade sporting orange t-shirts in recognition of the Gush Katif settlers; those who forgot to wear the shirts could purchase them from street vendors for five bucks a pop.
Arik (Sharon), take notice.
A salute to Israel means a salute to the Jews, and Jews equal power, especially in New York. Therefore, every local public figure, businessman, and political activist wants to be seen at the parade. But the icing on the cake is the delegations every school and community sends to participate in the event. Everyone is competing for the title of who will make the prettiest shirts and who will sing Halleluiah the loudest.
As for myself, instead of walking, the event's organizers offered me a ride in an antique Buick and a chance to wave at the crowd.
Seeing the thousands of children marching along Manhattan's streets while singing in Hebrew and wearing David Ben-Gurion masks was moving, but the African-American High School band performing rather bizarre renditions of Beyonce songs stole the show.
However, the parade also had a few disappointing moments to it: Jews who took advantage of the opportunity to wave signs reading, "(Meir) Kahane was right" and "Arabs should be evacuated" and an anti-Israel demonstration that was held along the parade route, which was attended not only by Arabs, but by Jews who protested against Israel and Zionism.
It is hard to describe the sense of insult and indignation evoked by witnessing an ultra-Orthodox Jew cooperating with devout enemies of Israel.
