Jewish New York deserves a parade as diverse as its communities - opinion

The Israel parade began in 1964 as a demonstration of support for the young and still seemingly fragile country. I can understand why New York Jewish leaders have held fast to this tradition. Other major ethnic groups in New York - Italians, Greeks, Irish, Dominicans, Koreans, and more - all get parades tied in part to their country of origin. It might make sense that the Jewish parade, too, should celebrate a state.

But a parade focused solely on Israel doesn’t even begin to represent the breadth of Jewish life in New York.

What if, instead, we organized a Jewish heritage parade that showcased the full vibrancy and diversity of New York's Jewish communities? There would be bands performing in Hebrew, Yiddish, Bukharian, Judeo-Arabic, Ladino, Juhuri, and English, and playing the tsimbl, oud, tambourine, and krar. Persian singers would ululate while cantors on guitar lead camp songs. Marchers could wear traditional Jewish dress from Georgia, Greece, India, and Syria.

There would be demonstrations of Israeli dance, simcha dancing, and Yemenite step. The Jewish Museum could construct giant papier-mache versions of Chagall or Modigliani figures. The Folksbiene’s float would feature a scene from Yiddish theater, while the Sephardic Brotherhood might build a replica of the original Spanish/Portuguese Synagogue. Reboot could reprise its 2010 Sukkah City installation, with the winning designs gliding down Fifth Avenue.

There would be Israeli flags, too, both because Israelis are also part of New York’s Jewish community, and because for many Jews, caring about and supporting the State of Israel is a central part of Jewish identity. And there could be other flags - Bund flags, the Chabad flag, the Jewish LGBTQ pride flag, and whatever other banners Jewish artists might design to represent different segments of the community.

Political differences would also make an appearance, but this wouldn’t be new territory for the parade. Especially now, as Israel is enmeshed in yet another war, and as our community has been torn apart by the violence of the past two and a half years, there is no such thing as apolitical when it comes to Israel.

In the past, more progressive groups that took part in the parade had to negotiate with organizers on whether words such as “democracy” and “peace” could be included and how. Controversies often arise around the participation of certain representatives of the Israeli government, such as the time Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli gave the finger to Israeli democracy protesters.

At a moment when the current Israeli government is overseeing a wave of settler violence and displacement of Palestinian communities in the West Bank, the continued devastation in Gaza, anti-democratic legislation inside of Israel and the wholesale abandonment of any diplomatic pursuit of peace, many Jewish New Yorkers don’t feel comfortable waving Israeli flags without also expressing their opinion about the country’s direction - in most cases, opinions that would be common on the streets of Tel Aviv.

The new parade would not try to project a false unity or paper over real differences but rather would integrate political diversity. Social justice organizations might construct floats depicting icons of New York Jewish organizing, such as Clara Lemlich or Bella Abzug, or condemning ICE.

Groups on the right could hold signs supporting public funding for religious schools. Billboard trucks could display slogans favoring secular education in yeshivot and slogans opposing government oversight.

And yes, there would be Israeli politics, too, with signs advocating left-wing, right-wing, and centrist positions, even when some statements make other participants uncomfortable or angry. These are also part of the kaleidoscope of Jewish New York (perhaps a wise and diverse advisory committee could organize the order of marchers to reduce conflict between them).

All opinions would be welcome, other than those advocating or condoning violence against Palestinians, Israelis, or anyone else.

At the afterparty in Central Park, you could taste food ranging from blintzes to bakhsh, from sabich to sambusak, from kugel to kubaneh. There would be fried artichokes, sufganiyot, sfenj, bumuelos, and anything else Jews have ever dropped in sizzling oil. Michael Twitty,  Molly Yeh, Michael Solomonov, Joan Nathan, and Beejhy Barhany would offer cooking demonstrations.

At the largest-ever Jewish book exchange, anyone could swap books they’ve read and go home with even more. Jewish Roller Derby would make an appearance on the sidewalk. You could sign up to get involved with any of the dozens of organizations.

While many New York communities host their own celebrations, such as the annual Greek Jewish festival, the Eldridge Street Synagogue’s Egg Rolls, Egg Creams and Empanadas street fair, Yiddish New York or the Sephardic Film Festival, bringing all of these diverse communities together for one day would highlight the vibrancy and complexity of Jewish New York, and would allow both Jews and non-Jews to learn about and build relationships with cultures and communities less familiar to them.

The action would move through the Temple grounds and into the women’s courtyard, including everyone (Mishnah Sukkot 5:4). It must have been a glorious cacophony of sounds, sights, and smells. This is Jewish community at its best, and what New York’s Jewish community parade should represent.

Rather than reduce New York’s Jews to a single national identity, our annual parade should celebrate our community in all of its diversity. Israel will be part of that story, but not the whole story, because Jewish New York is so much more.