Some who came, Some who avoided
Tens of thousands marched at the Israel Day Parade on Fifth Avenue as Mayor Zohran Mamdani skipped the event, the first mayor to do so in 60 years.
Rebecca Szlechter
3
mins read time
Published by
JNS
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul marches in the annual Israel Day on Fifth parade in Manhattan, May 31, 2026. Photo courtesy Susan Watts/Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Tens of thousands of people marched to support the Jewish state in the annual Israel Day on Fifth Parade in Manhattan on Sunday, May 31.
Emma Gurvichkin, of Queens, N.Y., chief operating officer of Golden Land Group, told JNS that “it’s important for me to march, especially after Oct. 7” and after Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City.
Mamdani, who has said that he would have the Israeli prime minister arrested in New York City and whose spokeswoman has said that synagogues violate international law when they host pro-Israel events, skipped the parade.
His predecessors have taken part in the parade for six decades.
In an interview on Sunday, Vanessa Tyler, of Black Information Network, asked Mamdani how much “heat are you willing to take” for refusing to attend the parade
“I’ve been honest with New Yorkers about the fact that I would not attend this parade,” the mayor told Tyler. “It’s something that I shared with them over the course of the campaign, and I’ve made my criticisms of the Israeli government quite clear.”
Gurvichkin told JNS that Mamdani is “dividing us, and it’s disrespectful.”
“I feel personally attacked as a New Yorker and as a Jew,” she said.
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Hochul Shows Support
Julie Menin, the first Jewish speaker of the New York City Council, took part in the parade, as did New York Gov. Kathy Hochul; New York City Police Department commissioner Jessica Tisch; New York Attorney General Letitia James; Israeli Consul General in New York Ofir Akunis; Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon; Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.); Reps. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) and Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.); Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.); and Eric Dinowitz, a member of the City Council who is chairman of its Jewish Caucus and co-chairman of its bipartisan task force on Jew-hatred. Inna Vernikov, a council member and the other co-chairperson of the task force, also attended.
Former city mayors Michael Bloomberg and Eric Adams also marched at the parade.
“Today, we march in defiance and also to stand up for the values that define New York State since its very beginning,” Hochul said at the parade. “We will always be that bastion, that beacon of hope for others to be able to live the way they want to live and practice their religious belief freely from harassment.”
“That is why just one hour ago, I was proud to stand with our leaders from JCRC and UJA and other organizations to literally sign the ‘buffer [zone] bill,’ the first-ever in the state of New York that says when you go to worship with your families, you should not have to endure harassment, intimidation or hatred
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Some who came, Some who avoided
Tens of thousands marched at the Israel Day Parade on Fifth Avenue as Mayor Zohran Mamdani skipped the event, the first mayor to do so in 60 years.
Rebecca Szlechter
3
mins read time
Published by
JNS
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul marches in the annual Israel Day on Fifth parade in Manhattan, May 31, 2026. Photo courtesy Susan Watts/Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Tens of thousands of people marched to support the Jewish state in the annual Israel Day on Fifth Parade in Manhattan on Sunday, May 31.
Emma Gurvichkin, of Queens, N.Y., chief operating officer of Golden Land Group, told JNS that “it’s important for me to march, especially after Oct. 7” and after Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City.
Mamdani, who has said that he would have the Israeli prime minister arrested in New York City and whose spokeswoman has said that synagogues violate international law when they host pro-Israel events, skipped the parade.
His predecessors have taken part in the parade for six decades.
In an interview on Sunday, Vanessa Tyler, of Black Information Network, asked Mamdani how much “heat are you willing to take” for refusing to attend the parade
“I’ve been honest with New Yorkers about the fact that I would not attend this parade,” the mayor told Tyler. “It’s something that I shared with them over the course of the campaign, and I’ve made my criticisms of the Israeli government quite clear.”
Gurvichkin told JNS that Mamdani is “dividing us, and it’s disrespectful.”
“I feel personally attacked as a New Yorker and as a Jew,” she said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hochul Shows Support
Julie Menin, the first Jewish speaker of the New York City Council, took part in the parade, as did New York Gov. Kathy Hochul; New York City Police Department commissioner Jessica Tisch; New York Attorney General Letitia James; Israeli Consul General in New York Ofir Akunis; Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon; Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.); Reps. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) and Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.); Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.); and Eric Dinowitz, a member of the City Council who is chairman of its Jewish Caucus and co-chairman of its bipartisan task force on Jew-hatred. Inna Vernikov, a council member and the other co-chairperson of the task force, also attended.
Former city mayors Michael Bloomberg and Eric Adams also marched at the parade.
“Today, we march in defiance and also to stand up for the values that define New York State since its very beginning,” Hochul said at the parade. “We will always be that bastion, that beacon of hope for others to be able to live the way they want to live and practice their religious belief freely from harassment.”
“That is why just one hour ago, I was proud to stand with our leaders from JCRC and UJA and other organizations to literally sign the ‘buffer [zone] bill,’ the first-ever in the state of New York that says when you go to worship with your families, you should not have to endure harassment, intimidation or hatred
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Some who came, Some who avoided
Tens of thousands marched at the Israel Day Parade on Fifth Avenue as Mayor Zohran Mamdani skipped the event, the first mayor to do so in 60 years.
Rebecca Szlechter
3
mins read time
Published by
JNS
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul marches in the annual Israel Day on Fifth parade in Manhattan, May 31, 2026. Photo courtesy Susan Watts/Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Tens of thousands of people marched to support the Jewish state in the annual Israel Day on Fifth Parade in Manhattan on Sunday, May 31.
Emma Gurvichkin, of Queens, N.Y., chief operating officer of Golden Land Group, told JNS that “it’s important for me to march, especially after Oct. 7” and after Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City.
Mamdani, who has said that he would have the Israeli prime minister arrested in New York City and whose spokeswoman has said that synagogues violate international law when they host pro-Israel events, skipped the parade.
His predecessors have taken part in the parade for six decades.
In an interview on Sunday, Vanessa Tyler, of Black Information Network, asked Mamdani how much “heat are you willing to take” for refusing to attend the parade
“I’ve been honest with New Yorkers about the fact that I would not attend this parade,” the mayor told Tyler. “It’s something that I shared with them over the course of the campaign, and I’ve made my criticisms of the Israeli government quite clear.”
Gurvichkin told JNS that Mamdani is “dividing us, and it’s disrespectful.”
“I feel personally attacked as a New Yorker and as a Jew,” she said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hochul Shows Support
Julie Menin, the first Jewish speaker of the New York City Council, took part in the parade, as did New York Gov. Kathy Hochul; New York City Police Department commissioner Jessica Tisch; New York Attorney General Letitia James; Israeli Consul General in New York Ofir Akunis; Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon; Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.); Reps. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) and Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.); Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.); and Eric Dinowitz, a member of the City Council who is chairman of its Jewish Caucus and co-chairman of its bipartisan task force on Jew-hatred. Inna Vernikov, a council member and the other co-chairperson of the task force, also attended.
Former city mayors Michael Bloomberg and Eric Adams also marched at the parade.
“Today, we march in defiance and also to stand up for the values that define New York State since its very beginning,” Hochul said at the parade. “We will always be that bastion, that beacon of hope for others to be able to live the way they want to live and practice their religious belief freely from harassment.”
“That is why just one hour ago, I was proud to stand with our leaders from JCRC and UJA and other organizations to literally sign the ‘buffer [zone] bill,’ the first-ever in the state of New York that says when you go to worship with your families, you should not have to endure harassment, intimidation or hatred
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Some who came, Some who avoided
Tens of thousands marched at the Israel Day Parade on Fifth Avenue as Mayor Zohran Mamdani skipped the event, the first mayor to do so in 60 years.
Rebecca Szlechter
3
mins read time
Published by
JNS
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul marches in the annual Israel Day on Fifth parade in Manhattan, May 31, 2026. Photo courtesy Susan Watts/Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Tens of thousands of people marched to support the Jewish state in the annual Israel Day on Fifth Parade in Manhattan on Sunday, May 31.
Emma Gurvichkin, of Queens, N.Y., chief operating officer of Golden Land Group, told JNS that “it’s important for me to march, especially after Oct. 7” and after Zohran Mamdani was elected mayor of New York City.
Mamdani, who has said that he would have the Israeli prime minister arrested in New York City and whose spokeswoman has said that synagogues violate international law when they host pro-Israel events, skipped the parade.
His predecessors have taken part in the parade for six decades.
In an interview on Sunday, Vanessa Tyler, of Black Information Network, asked Mamdani how much “heat are you willing to take” for refusing to attend the parade
“I’ve been honest with New Yorkers about the fact that I would not attend this parade,” the mayor told Tyler. “It’s something that I shared with them over the course of the campaign, and I’ve made my criticisms of the Israeli government quite clear.”
Gurvichkin told JNS that Mamdani is “dividing us, and it’s disrespectful.”
“I feel personally attacked as a New Yorker and as a Jew,” she said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Hochul Shows Support
Julie Menin, the first Jewish speaker of the New York City Council, took part in the parade, as did New York Gov. Kathy Hochul; New York City Police Department commissioner Jessica Tisch; New York Attorney General Letitia James; Israeli Consul General in New York Ofir Akunis; Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon; Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.); Reps. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) and Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.); Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.); and Eric Dinowitz, a member of the City Council who is chairman of its Jewish Caucus and co-chairman of its bipartisan task force on Jew-hatred. Inna Vernikov, a council member and the other co-chairperson of the task force, also attended.
Former city mayors Michael Bloomberg and Eric Adams also marched at the parade.
“Today, we march in defiance and also to stand up for the values that define New York State since its very beginning,” Hochul said at the parade. “We will always be that bastion, that beacon of hope for others to be able to live the way they want to live and practice their religious belief freely from harassment.”
“That is why just one hour ago, I was proud to stand with our leaders from JCRC and UJA and other organizations to literally sign the ‘buffer [zone] bill,’ the first-ever in the state of New York that says when you go to worship with your families, you should not have to endure harassment, intimidation or hatred
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
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© 2026 The Jewish World · Since 1965 - The Capital Region's gateway to Jewish life
Designed and Developed by Ta-Da Studios
© 2026 The Jewish World · Since 1965 - The Capital Region's gateway to Jewish life
Designed and Developed by Ta-Da Studios
© 2026 The Jewish World · Since 1965 - The Capital Region's gateway to Jewish life
Designed and Developed by Ta-Da Studios