One of the nicest parts of living in Highland Park, New Jersey is the way the little borough celebrates events such as Veterans Day and Memorial Day. This year I was fortunate to be able to attend the Veterans Day Parade in Highland Park, NJ. The parade begins at the dough boy at the corner of Raritan Avenue and Woodbridge Avenue and goes down Raritan Avenue into New Brunswick.
The whole avenue is closed for a few hours as the ceremony takes place at the dough boy, and then the marchers head down the avenue towards New Brunswick.
Rabbi Kaminetsky (chaplain of the police department and rabbi emeritus of Congregation Ohav Emeth) read something – I think it was called a convocation? at the beginning of the ceremony. A talented teenager my daughter knows sang the Star Spangled Banner.
Mayor of Highland Park Gayle Brill Mittler spoke – her speech was posted online on the Highland Park, NJ Facebook page. Here is one piece of her speech: “If you are an employer, hire a veteran. If you own property for rent, seek out a veteran who is looking for a new home. Welcome our veterans back home with more than words and parades.”
Congressman Frank Pallone mentioned in his speech electing politicians that support benefits for veterans.
Freeholder Jim Polos spoke as well.
I really enjoyed this dog who seemed to a spectator at the parade; he and his master were hanging out with the veterans before the parade began.
There were lots of children at the Veteran’s Day Parade. I think they had school, and they came with their teachers for the parade.
This group of cheerleaders seemed to be having a great time at the parade. The Highland Park mascot is an owl.
I know the Jewish War Veterans were there as well – they were mentioned. You can see a post about the Jewish War Veterans from several years ago, when my son was in eighth grade.
There was a variety of people gathered – next to these young drummers, you can see older men wearing jackets and stars-and-stripes ties.
Here is Gayle Brill Mittler walking down Raritan Avenue – she and many others were handing out those little U.S. flags. It made the whole atmosphere festive.
Groups from New Brunswick marched as well.
It was neat to watch all those fire engines all lined up.
Have you ever seen a Veterans Day Parade? Do they celebrate and honor veterans where you live?
I enjoy the little smile on this girl’s face as she marched with her baton down Fifth Avenue in the Salute to Israel Parade in New York City in May.
This woman on tall stilts was quite talented. Does anyone know what SDNY stands for? Security Defense of New York? There were a lot of them in the contigent for the Israeli government – extra security, we surmised. (Tink says in the comments it stands for “Southern District of New York”).
Did you know that researchers in Israel are working hard on an electric car? Via Twitter, I discovered the man in the car is Michael Granoff (mikejgr).
How does this guy juggle and ride a unicycle at the same time?
For more posts with red, visit Ruby Tuesday:
This year I said I would not take a lot of pictures. I would not, I would not, I would not. I came home and emptied a mere 126 images unto my external hard drive. This post features schools from New Jersey that marched in the Salute to Israel Parade down 5th Avenue in New York City in May 2010.
Next year my daughter will be old enough to march with her school. Her school, RPRY in Edison, always features dancers as a highlight.
It’s a lot of fun when you know the person holding the banner, and he enthusiastically smiles at you. This is my eldest son’s school, Torah Academy of Bergen County.
We recognized several of the students of Kushner Hebrew Academy and Kushner Yeshiva High School of Livingston, New Jersey.
Yavneh Academy had a sunny theme.
I liked the bright kites. Related to the sunny theme.
Here is Solomon Schecter Day School of Raritan Valley.
JEC of Elizabeth, New Jersey had a lively, colorful banner.
I captured the banner for the Frisch School of Paramus, New Jersey just as we were leaving the parade. We didn’t stay for the whole time – as it is, we didn’t get back home until 5 pm.
No idea what organization held this banner that reads “Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.”
Imabima has hosted Haveil Havalim, the News and Politics Edition: Jewish blogosphere posts about President Obama’s speech, the shooting at the Holocaust museum and more.
JPIX, the Jewish photo bloggers carnival, will appear on this blog on June 28. Submit your photo post by June 25 using this link.
Thanks to these bloggers who have submitted:
Update: Thank you for your recently submitted pics:
Still plenty of time to send in your pics.
I photographed these red carnations, white petunias and blue lobelia outside a florist in Highland Park a little before the Memorial Day Parade.
I enjoyed seeing “Uncle Sam” in attendance at the Israel Day Parade in New York City.
For more photos with a little or a lot of red, visit:
In my Ruby Tuesday post this week I asked if anyone could guess which business sponsored this float from the Israel Day Parade in New York City. It turns out it was sponsored by IDB Bank, Bank HaPoalim, and Bank Leumi. Robin, who lives in Tel Aviv, correctly stated Bank Leumi as the sponsor.
Whenever I hear Bank HaPoalim, I think of the ditty: “Bo-ee, bo-ee-tan-u, Bank HaPoalim, bo-ee, bo-ee-tan-u, Bank HaPoalim …” (which translates as ‘come with us, come with us, Bank of the Workers, come with us, come with us, Bank of the Workers). Do they still use that for advertising? I have no idea. The name ‘Bank HaPoalim,’ bank of the workers, reminds me of Israel’s socialist, Russian-inspired roots.
How does your bank advertise?
Lots of reds were visible at the Salute to Israel Parade down Fifth Avenue in New York City yesterday. This was one float with many red balloons that said “Ruby Tuesday” red to me.
These drummers at the Fifth Avenue Israel parade also seemed to be wearing red t-shirts so they can show up in a Ruby Tuesday post.
I photographed this red rhododendron a few minutes before we marched off to the local Highland Park Memorial Day Parade.
Extra: since some of you like quizzes, can anyone guess what the first float is representing? Which business? Hint: it is an Israeli-based business that has branches in New York.
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Who can tell why I am posting white flowers for a Ruby Tuesday post? The answer is very red.
In honor of memorial day, here are three pics from our local parade down Raritan Avenue. The motorcyclist is so un-me (the clothes, the motorcycle, the whole look), but I liked the photo and wanted to share it.
My friend is the leader of this Girl Scout troop. I used to march when I was a Cub Scout Leader.
To me, this picture says “Memorial Day.” We have so much to thank for, living in this country because of those who fought for our freedoms. May those who lose their lives fighting for freedom be remembered and cherished.
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In honor of Lag B’Omer, which starts tonight, here’s a post about the previous Jewish holiday, Yom HaAtzmaut. Maybe by Yom Yerushalayim, Jerusalem Day, I’ll have something to say about Lag B’Omer.
Two weeks ago was the annual RPRY (Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva) march around the block for Israeli Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzmaut). This “little” parade isn’t so little; with parents and neighbors in attendance, the numbers in the crowd may have reached 800.
One of people who came to the parade was Mayor of Edison Jun Choi. Here is RPRY Principal Rabbi Gross introducing Mayor Choi (wearing tan suit), as he calls Edison “best city in the world outside of Yerushalayim” (Jerusalem).
And here is Mayor Choi declaring Rabbi Gross his favorite Jewish day school principal, possibly his favorite educator. You could tell they were both enjoying each other.
There is an upcoming mayoral primary in Edison: you can find out more by visiting Jun Choi’s website and Antonia Ricigliano’s website. One of my son’s RPRY teachers, “Morah” Rachel Callen, is on Jun Choi’s campaign signs (it doesn’t say “morah” – teacher – on the sign, but that is how we think of her).
Not everyone who marched was a human being. This dog was quite popular.
