Tens of thousands showed their support during yesterday's Salute to Israel Parade in New York.
(Hiroko Masuike/ Getty Images)
NYC parade commemorates birth of Jewish state in '48
Tens of thousands showed their support during yesterday's Salute to Israel Parade in New York.
(Hiroko Masuike/ Getty Images)
Associated Press
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June 1, 2009
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NEW YORK - Tens of thousands of supporters of Israel crowded New York's Fifth Avenue yesterday as part of the annual parade celebrating the birth of the Jewish state in 1948.
This year's parade also commemorated the centenary of the city of Tel Aviv. One contingent wore I (heart) Tel Aviv T-shirts, and another group rolled a giant birthday cake up the avenue.
Tel Aviv's mayor, Ron Huldai, was an honorary grand marshal and donned a pair of "100" glasses in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Israel's largest city.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor David Paterson led off the parade, followed by floats blasting Israeli pop music and teenagers from yeshivas and Jewish day schools.
Florence Keusch of Paramus, N.J., was watching for the group from North Shore Hebrew Academy on Long Island, her grandchildren's school. "I'm waiting to see them and enjoying this gorgeous day," she said.
Marching with SAR High School from the Bronx, senior Jon Greenberg said the May 20 arrests of four men charged with plotting to bomb synagogues there was "scary."
"We felt kind of protected," he said.
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