Holocaust Survivors Honored at the 2024 Israel Day Parade
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On June 2, tens of thousands of people, including Holocaust survivors, took to Fifth Avenue in New York City to march in the Israel Day Parade, organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York (JCRC-NY). The mood of this year’s event, a parade held yearly since the ’60s, was notably different than in years prior.
Nearly 8 months after the October 7 attacks and in the wake of rising antisemitism, Jews and supporters of Israel gathered to honor this year’s theme: One People, One Heart.
Holocaust survivor, Lucy D., who participated on the Claims Conference’s survivor float said, “This year is a very special year. It’s a war now, and we have to stand up for our people and we have to show them our support.”
Echoing Lucy’s comments, solidarity was close to everyone’s hearts and minds; solidarity for the remaining hostages and for the families who are suffering in their absence as well as with the people of Israel. Many in the crowd wore yellow ribbons, stickers and pins calling for the release of the hostages and against the antisemitism being seen around the world, further highlighting the importance of keeping Israel as a homeland for all Jews in the forefront of everyone’s minds.
The Claims Conference arranged for Holocaust survivors to participate in the parade on a float dedicated to them. The survivor float was sponsored by the Adelsberg Family, Harry Krakowski and Family, Elisa and Alan Pines and Family and Beth and Marty Statfeld and Family. The Claims Conference worked with New York City agency partners, including Selfhelp, the Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island (JCCGCI) and Bikur Cholim to bring survivors to the parade and ensure their comfort. Claims Conference staff, friends and agency partners marched alongside the float and the survivors’ family members.
The float, like the parade, has symbolic importance. It is a moving monument to honor survivors, especially in these difficult times, and a reminder that the world must never forget the lessons of the Holocaust. The survivors and Claims Conference staff wore shirts that read “#CancelHate” with a yellow ribbon reading, “Bring Them Home” on the front and “#NeverAgain” on the back – all slogans that hold more weight than ever this year.
Survivors waved Israeli flags, greeted others marching, sang and even danced with younger parade goers. Several generations of Jews gathered at the Israel Day Parade, not only to celebrate Israel but also to show their solidarity for victims and hostages of October 7 who could not. The parade unites all Jews as one people, with one heart honoring the importance of Israel, Holocaust survivors and those who are still living with the harrowing effects of October 7. The Claims Conference is grateful to the survivors, their families and our agency partners who all played a part in the success of the survivor float. We continue to pray for peace in Israel and for all around the world.
