Camel hooves clip-clopped down the busy streets of New York City, representative of more than just the load they carried, but of the load of the Israeli people – one that they grand marshalled down the pavement, one hoof at a time.

But as news outlets reported on which local politicians were in attendance, Moreland Hills resident Karen Tucker said that no political strategy could have halted the spirits of the supporters who showed up waving flags, bearing the star of David, and keeping spirits high.

“It was so inspiring,” Tucker, who resides occasionally in Brooklyn, N.Y., while visiting her daughter, told the Cleveland Jewish News. “All the antisemitism, anti-Zionism, and the hatred directed towards Jews in Israel is very, very devastating, so to get to see all the love and support from the community is so inspiring. It feels good to get that support.”

Tucker was one of thousands of Jewish and Israeli Americans who participated in the annual Israel Day Parade, the world’s largest pro-Israel parade, on May 31 in New York City. The weekend’s event, which has been held annually since the 1960s, had its largest turnout this year, according to Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

But as the parade traveled on, the city’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani, became the first New York City mayor in more than 60 years to skip the parade – a move that was met with both criticism and dismissal by those in attendance, as many were too busy celebrating.

Eric Fingerhut, CEO and president of the Jewish Federations of North America, who was in attendance, told the CJN in a written statement, “The outpouring of joy and pride at the Israel Day Parade was inspiring, as always, and this year was no exception. It was a powerful reminder of the unbreakable connection between our community and the State of Israel.”

Fingerhut, a former Clevelander, said that the strong showing of public officials, which included New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, Sen. Chuck Schumer, former New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, as well as numerous members of Congress and other leaders, demonstrated the “broad and enduring support our community maintains.” He did not comment on Mamdani’s lack of attendance.

Tucker, however, shared that many participants shared one of two attitudes – disappointment or anger. Generally, there was a lot of negativity surrounding the mayor, she said.

“Some people were saying they did not want him there, and others were angry that he was the first mayor in 64 years to not attend,” Tucker said. “Instead, he spent the day riding on his bicycle in a suit.”

Mamdani, who has been outspoken in his support of Palestinian rights since becoming mayor on Jan. 1, said in an Oct. 31, 2025 interview with JTA while campaigning that he would not attend the parade if elected mayor.

“While I will not be attending the Israel Day Parade, my lack of attendance should not be mistaken for a refusal to provide security or the necessary permits for its safety,” Mamdani told JTA. “I’ve been very clear: I believe in equal rights for all people – everywhere. That principle guides me consistently.”

According to Tucker, security was in fact very high, and while she only saw one, peaceful protester, she did not feel unsafe.

“They did not have a big protest like they have in the past, so that was no danger whatsoever,” Tucker said. “Everyone was thanking the police officers as we left. They did a great job.”

While heightened security has its pros, Fingerhut said that the required safety net serves as a reminder of the thousands of antisemitic incidents that have occurred throughout the country since Oct. 7, 2023, at a rate of exponential growth.

“At the same time, the extraordinary level of security required to keep participants safe serves as a stark reminder of the premium our community must pay simply to gather and celebrate our identity – a burden often referred to as the ‘Jewish Tax,’” Fingerhut said. “Government has an essential responsibility to help ensure that Jewish communities can come together safely and proudly, and we are grateful to the law enforcement and public officials who helped make that possible.”

But while marching in the parade for the first time alongside a group of about 60 representatives of Mothers Against College Antisemitism, Tucker shared that the celebration of Israel and being Jewish did not feel like a “tax.”

“The level of support and love for Israel and the Jewish community was just so inspiring, and a lot of people were saying that even if you didn’t support the current government in Israel, that didn’t mean you couldn’t support Israel as a state, as an idea, as a love for the people and as a love for the Jewish community,” Tucker said. “People there were so proud and outspoken about their pride and their love for Israel. They showed so much solidarity and love for their people, and that’s what was so inspiring to me.”

Of note, Tucker said, was the attendance of antislavery activist from South Sudan, Simon Deng, and Shai Davidai, former professor at Columbia University who became a pro-Israeli activist following the Gaza Solidarity Encampment protest at the university in 2024. Tucker added that she also met two Christian Zionists from Papua New Guinea.

“We had a really diverse crowd,” she said, adding that the Muslim Interfaith Coalition also marched in the parade for their first time – a move that the greater Muslim community gave them a lot of grief for.

Mamdani did not comment on that, but according to The Associated Press, the mayor’s office released a video two weeks prior commemorating the Nakba, an Arabic word for “catastrophe” that is used to describe the displacement of an estimated 700,000 Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that followed Israel’s establishment. There, he restated his views.

“I said on the campaign trail that I wouldn’t be attending the parade, and I’ve made my views on the Israeli government abundantly clear,” Mamdani said at a news conference on May 28.

Still, Tucker called the parade a “morale boost” for the total Jewish community, regardless of any shadows that were cast upon the day.

“Morale can be very low in the Jewish community at times,” Tucker said. “So to participate in something like this is a very necessary morale boost for the Jewish community. You realize there is still a lot of love and support out there.”