The annual Israeli parade in New York City is one of the oldest and most impressive public traditions of the Jewish community in the United States. For more than six decades, it has attracted tens of thousands of participants and supporters, serving as a public expression of solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people.
In a city like New York, where annual celebrations honor the many communities and cultures that make up the metropolitan mosaic, the Israeli parade provides Jews with an opportunity to proudly express their identity and their connection to the State of Israel. For generations, the Jewish community has played a central role in building New York, leaving its mark on every sphere of life: the economy, culture, philanthropy and public affairs.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of participating in the parade several times. Each occasion is inspiring, as Jewish communities from across New York and New Jersey, together with schools, youth movements and community organizations, spend months preparing for the event. On parade day, Manhattan is draped in blue and white, and thousands of supporters, Jewish and non-Jewish alike, gather to demonstrate solidarity and partnership.
This year, the parade carried special significance since it took place during the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. It served not only as an event in support of Israel, but also as an opportunity to reflect on the deep connection between the values upon which America was founded, and the world of Jewish and biblical ideas.
The United States was established on a vision of liberty, equality and self-government. The Founding Fathers viewed the Bible as a central source of inspiration in shaping the new nation. Many compared the early settlers who left England to the Israelites leaving Egypt, King George III to Pharaoh and the crossing of the Atlantic Ocean to the parting of the Red Sea.
The principles of American government were also rooted, in the eyes of the founders, in biblical sources. They found the concept of human equality in the book of Genesis; the idea of leadership without a king in the books of Judges and Samuel; and models of representative governance in Moses and the elders of Israel. Even the principle of separation of powers, which became one of the cornerstones of American democracy, was linked by some to the book of Isaiah.
This connection ran so deep that in the early stages of designing the symbols of the new nation, it was proposed that the official seal of the United States depict the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, with Moses raising his staff. Among the supporters of this idea were Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams—three of the most prominent Founding Fathers. The proposal itself illustrates the profound influence that biblical narratives had on the formation of American identity.
One of the most famous expressions of this connection can be found on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, one of the great symbols of the American nation. Inscribed upon it are the words from Leviticus: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” The verse, which refers to the jubilee year, the emancipation of slaves and the restoration of freedom, perfectly embodies the link between the heritage of Israel and the American ideal of liberty.
This connection between Jewish tradition and the American story is not merely historical. It is reflected in the tremendous contribution of New York’s Jewish community to the development of the city and the nation. Waves of Jewish immigration transformed New York into the largest Jewish center in the world outside Israel, with nearly 1.6 million Jews. Jewish Americans have been leaders in finance, commerce, industry, culture and philanthropy, helping shape New York into a global capital of economic and cultural freedom.
At a time when some voices seek to push Israel out of the American public sphere, this year’s parade took on added significance. It served as a reminder that the relationship between Israel and the United States is based not only on political interests but also on shared values, as well as a deep intellectual and moral heritage.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani boycotted the parade, and that was certainly his right. His support for Hamas and for radical Muslim organizations is well known. New Yorkers nevertheless turned out in large numbers and expressed their rejection of a political leader who has become disconnected from the culture and history of his own city, and, more importantly, from the vision of America’s Founding Fathers.
In this 250th year of U.S. independence, the parade offered an opportunity to remember that the Israeli story and the American story are not foreign to one another. They are two chapters of the same enduring belief in freedom. The fact that a leader chose not to herald and participate in such an event ultimately says more about himself than about the event he refused to join.
Marching in Manhattan wasn’t merely an act of support for Israel. It was a declaration of commitment to liberty, democracy and faith in the power of a free people—the very values that guided America’s founders 250 years ago, and that continue to connect Jerusalem and New York to this day.
