Senior officials from the Jewish Agency for Israel participated in the annual Israel Day on Fifth parade in New York City on Sunday.
Mark Wilf, chairman of the Jewish Agency’s board of governors, and Yehuda Setton, deputy director general of the Jewish Agency, led the organization’s delegation at the parade along with dozens of Jewish Agency shlichim (Israel emissaries) who are based in communities and college campuses across the United States.
Before the parade, a reception was held at the Jewish Agency’s offices in New York where they called for the release of the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip.
Also on Sunday, Jewish Agency representatives took part in an event in Budapest where thousands of members of the Jewish community and community leaders rallied in solidarity with Israel. The event in Hungary was just one of many held around the world in support of Israel that were organized by Jewish Agency shlichim that have taken place around Israel’s Independence Day and during the “Swords of Iron” war.
In Budapest, participants held up the longest yellow ribbon in Europe that ran some 100 meters (nearly 330 feet). It has come to represent the movement calling to free the 100-plus hostages still being held captive by Hamas in Gaza since the terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7.
Attending the event in Hungary was Rotem Greenglick, sister of fallen Israel Defense Forces soldier Shaul Greenglick, who was a former contestant on the Israeli talent contest “HaKochav Haba” (“The Next Star”). Rotem appeared on stage along with her husband, Yoav, to commemorate her brother and other soldiers who died in battle.
Yaron Shavit, deputy chairman of the executive at the Jewish Agency, told attendees at the Budapest event that “this is an exciting and meaningful demonstration that reflects the connection between Jews worldwide and Israel and our shared destiny as a people.”
The Jewish community in Hungary totals some 150,000, with most of them residing in Budapest. This warm, Zionist community enjoys close ties with Israel and the Jewish Agency’s Merkaz Israel in Budapest hosts a variety of community activities that aim to strengthen the relationship between local community members and Israel.
