LI flocks to 5th Av to cheer Israel

Supporters of Israel turned out in force on Sunday, with hundreds of thousands of spectators lining Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue as an estimated 35,000 marchers, in colorful T-shirts, carrying large banners and fluttering blue and white Israeli flags, participated in the 50th Celebrate Israel Parade.

Long Island schools, synagogues and organizations were well-represented during the five-hour-long line of march and on the sidelines, flocking to the city to cheer on the Jewish State on its 66th anniversary.

Thousands of flag waving bystanders lined the route cheering and applauding as the parade passed.

Floats, musicians, motorcycles, camels, marching bands, entertainers on stilts, joined Israeli and American politicians in heralding the symbiotic relationship between Israel and the United States.

The day began with the Celebrate Israel four-mile run and shorter runs for children in Central Park. After the step off of Governor Andrew Cuomo, Senator Charles Schumer and Mayor Bill de Blasio and other politicians and Members of Knesset including Dov Lipman and Danny Danon, came a large contingent of Hillel representatives from colleges across the U.S., their English names emblazoned on T-shirts in Hebrew letters. Participants and the thousands of bystanders showed their support for Israel and the unity of the day.

Despite some unease over the participation in this year’s parade of groups that are highly critical of Israeli policies, Rabbi Zev Meir Friedman, rosh mesivta of the Rambam Mesivta, a Zionist activist high school for boys in Lawrence, said that “the parade was great. It brings out tens of thousands of people and supporters of many faiths, not just from the Jewish community. Politicians who make policy see the widespread support Israel enjoys and support Israel. It’s a very important event.”

The marchers trekked from 57th Street to 74th Street.