Hundreds of thousands of people convened on Fifth Avenue in New York on Sunday to attend the annual Salute Israel Parade.
Edward Mermelstein, president of the ZAKA search and rescue organization, was the grand marshal of the parade.
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations (UN) Danny Danon led a diplomatic delegation of UN ambassadors and diplomats from around the world who marched in the event.
The group included ambassadors from Australia, Germany, Ukraine, Norway and other countries.
“In the face of the growing wave of anti-Semitism, we are demonstrating strength and unity today,” said Danon. “Despite the differences of opinion, the connection with the Jewish people in Israel is at the heart of the relationship between American Jewry and Israel.”
Germany’s Ambassador Christoph Heusgen said at the opening of the parade that it is “wonderful to celebrate Israel today here in NY, to have the city full of blue and white flags, to have so many of the international community demonstrate their support for Israel. It’s wonderful to be here.”
This was the 55th parade since it was founded in 1964, and the theme this year was “Only in Israel”. This year’s parade was also attended by New York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio, the Governor of the city and American elected officials, Jewish and pro-Israel organizations, schools, students and more.
Similarly, some 10,000 people celebrated Jerusalem Day in Buenos Aires with traditional and modern dances, Israeli food and other Israel-related events.
These events took place just hours after celebrated its Jerusalem Day, marking the 52nd anniversary of the unification of Jerusalem during the 1967 Six Day War.
Some 100,000 Israelis marched through the capital in the traditional Flag March which ended at the Kotel.