"And one, and two." Sounds like someone trying to march, right? Well, sort of. There were actually 300 of us marching around Camp Tel Yehudah, the Young Judaea camp, on Saturday May 19, in preparation for the Salute to Israel Parade in New York City the next day. Usually this parade is kind of fluffy, that is to say it doesn't delve much into making a stand. This year however, armed with "For the Sake of Zion I shall not remain silent" pins, blue and white t-shirts, and blue ribbons we, Young Judaea, were determined to change that as we walked down 5th Avenue, singing songs for peace, like Salaam, as loud as we could.
Not everyone attending the parade, however was as ready to support Israel. Along the way there were several protesters who were not only against the parade itself, but against f the idea that the Jews should have a homeland at all. For a moment, just a second in time, I was truly afraid. Stories flashed through my head of everything that's happened in Israel in the past few months. And then I looked around, and saw my friends, and I knew that I was safe here, as an American Jew. I also realized the real reason I'm in Young Judaea. It's not because I'm planning on making aliyah (moving to Israel) -- I'm not. But I do believe in defending what's ours, and this was part of it.
Those who weren't marching went up and down 5th avenue getting signatures, 15,000 in all, from people watching the parade. The petition will be sent to Congress and the Senate asking them to push Hizbollah to release prisoners just taken weeks ago on the Lebanese border, and those like Ron Arad who have been missing for years. When I got home that night, after being at the Spring Convention and then the parade since Thursday I can honestly say that I felt good, that I felt like I had stood up for what I believe in, in some small way.
Delicious
Digg
StumbleUpon
Facebook
Google
Technorati
