150,000 at ‘salue to Israel’ Parade Despite Rainy Weather, Peace is the Major Theme

Despite unseasonably cool and rainy weather, an estimated 150,000 spectators and 75,000 marchers turned out for the 15th annual Salute to Israel Parade along Eifth Avenue today. The recently signed peace treaty between Israel and Egypt set the tone for the event. The peace theme was evident in most of the 35 floats, the many peace banners carried by the marchers, some in Arabic as well as Hebrew and English and the peace songs sung and played by the 25 marching bonds from six states.

The turn-out was for less than the half million spectators who have witnessed Salute to Israel parades in previous years, largely because of the inclement weather. But what they locked in numbers they made up for in high spirits. The reviewing stand was packed with dignitaries, including Gov. Hugh Carey of New York, Mayor Edward Koch of New York City and special guest, Mayor Eliyahu Nowi, of Beersheba, the Israeli city that last Sunday played host to Israeli Premier Menachem Begin and President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and was also the site of the opening of Israeli-Egyptian talks on Palestinian autonomy. Other special guests were Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. Ephraim Evran, Dr. Yehuda Blum, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, the Israeli Consul General in New York, Joseph P. Kedar, and Avraham Katz, a member of the Knesset and chairman of the Jewish Agency’s youth and chalutz department.

Eugene Gold, District Attorney of Brooklyn and chairman of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, was chairman of the parade. He reminded the spectators not to forget the plight of Soviet Jews and introduced Rivka Drori, sister of “Prisoner of Conscience” losif Mendelevich who expressed the hope that her brother and all ROCs will soon be released. All of the dignitaries, in brief remarks, paid tribute to the Israeli-Egyptian peace and voiced the hope that it will lead to a full peace in the Middle East. A message from President Carter was read in which he declared that Israel and the U.S. share “common goals and aspirations”. for democracy and peace.

The parade began at 11 a.m. at 57th St. and Fifth Avenue and continued for a mile-and-a-half to 80th Street, It was sponsored, as it has been since its inception in 1965, by the American Zionist Youth Foundation. Participants included Jewish organizations, day schools, yeshivot, Jewish youth and community groups, Israeli banks and other commercial institutions.

The official theme was “Israel from generation to generation.” But the new era of peace was saluted with such slogans as “We are the generation of Peace,” “Peace is the Word” and, in a reference to the cloudy skies, “Don’t rain on my Peace.” At one point dozens of white doves were released. Many of the young marchers wore Arab costumes and the traditional kafiyeh headgear. The one sour note was introduced by a Jewish Defense League group which carried a sign saying “Sadat can talk to the wall, Jerusalem is ours.”