Central Park concert follows Celebrate Israel Parade
Sunday’s Celebrate Israel Parade will again be paired with a concert that organizers are calling the largest pro-Israel rally in North America.
Joining entertainers under the Central Park Bandshell, between 2:30 and 7:30 p.m., will be two distinguished speakers — Israel Deputy Defense Minister MK Danny Danon, and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton. Bolton has been a staunch supporter of Israel and an expert on the situation in Iran.
The parade, along Fifth Avenue, will run for several hours, beginning at 9:15 a.m.
Exciting performers include a burst of musical and singing talent. The headliners are LIPA!, a masterful singer and showman; and EDON, who proudly wore his kippa as he achieved semi-finalist status on “America’s Got Talent;” Elron Zabatani, of Jerusalem’s Old City, will be accompanied by Shlomi Aharoni, an alumnus of the Rabbinical IDF Orchestra and Choir; seasoned veterans Jerry Markovitz, Sandy Shmuely and Dr. Meyer Abittan will also be performing.
The concert is sponsored by the Israel Concert-In-The-Park Committee, associated with Young Israel Chovevei Zion and the National Council of Young Israel.
Once again, the event will pay tribute to Carl Freyer z’l who, together with his wife Sylvia, founded the concert in response to a call by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin to mount a protest to the notorious 1993 Oslo accords. Mr. Freyer and his wife were founders of Arutz Sheva and the National Jewish Outreach Program. The event also salutes noted Jewish activists and philanthropists Dr. Manfred R. Lehmann z’l, who was its first chairman, and Rose and Reuben Mattus z’l, of Haagen-Dazs fame.
Parade-goers should note that this year’s concert venue is different than in the past. The new location — the Central Park’s Bandshell — can be reached by entering the park at Fifth Avenue and 72nd Street.
Early arrival is strongly advised as there will be added security checks, and only one entry line to the Bandshell. For security reasons, no large backpacks or bags will be allowed into the concert. Photo ID is required for entry.
