This year’s Salute to Israel Parade along 5th Avenue in Midtown on Sunday saw vastly contrasting emotions among the thousands who flocked to both celebrate the Jewish state while also demanding the return of the remaining hostages still in Hamas captivity more than 18 months after the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attacks.
“There’s nothing more inspiring than coming out on this day and looking down 5th Avenue and recognizing that we’ve put together in New York, the largest Jewish community in the world outside of Israel, celebrating. It’s something we can never, ever take for granted,” UJA Federation CEO Eric Goldstein said.
Despite the young and old alike marching with Israeli flags, beaming with Jewish pride, the day remained a solemn reminder of those still left behind. Fifty-eight hostages remain separated from their families, and their loved ones continue to push to “bring them home.”
Ruby Chen is still waiting for the return of his 19-year-old son, Itay Chen, who is one of the 58 hostages in Gaza. His son, a German American citizen and an IDF soldier, served in the Tanks Division near the Gaza border. On the morning of Oct. 7, as he aided Israeli citizens, his team was abducted by Hamas.
“That was the last we heard of him, Oct. 7, and that would be 590 days ago,” Ruby Chen said.
One year later, Chen is at his second Israel Day Parade, advocating for his son and all of the hostages to be brought back home. Chen shared that he has received enough sympathy, but what he wants is action from the Israeli government to bring Itay Chen back to him.
“I have mixed emotions. We did this last year. I had no intention of being in the same position one year afterwards. The City of New York has stood behind us from day one, and what we’ve learned, and in New York after 9/11 is that New Yorkers stand together. And indeed they stand together with us, the hostage families,” Chen said. “It’s feels like getting on the Cyclone [ride.] A lot of ups and downs. You just never know.”
According to the family, Hamas has not acknowledged that Itay Chen is in their possession or his well-being. The Chen family has no information about their son or when he will be released.
“The four US citizens that remain are my son, Itay, Homer, who lives in Long Island, and a couple Debbie and Jimmy Weinstein. Those are the four US citizens,” Chen shared, reciting each of the Hamas hostages’ names. For Chen, knowing who these individuals are and where they are from is important because their tragedy has created a bond.
“We’ve become family,” Chen said.
On May 15, Chen shared that he spoke with the UN Security Council discussing bringing the hostages home.
“It’s a humanitarian issue, not a political issue,” Chen said. “We are just simple folks. I’m not the son of a president or a senator. I just want my kid back.”
Peppered among the joyous dancing and flag-waving that met up at 72nd Street, families carried posters of their loved ones and the pain on their shoulders.
The likes of Mayor Eric Adams, Gov. Kathy Hochul, Senator Chuck Schumer, mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo, and others joined the parade.
