Click to hear the Live Broadcast from the concert.
MC'ing the concert will be Arutz-7's own Tovia Singer, " The Chief Rabbi of TalkRadio." The event will take place, rain or shine, in Central Park’s East Meadow, at 97th Street and 5th Avenue, today, June 5, 2005 from 2:30-6 PM.
This year’s Central Park concert will be a rejection of the role of “Jews of Silence” and a rejection of the expulsion of Jews in the Land of Israel.
The concert, which has taken place every year since 1994, has always espoused a pro-Land of Israel stance. “A bland message is an act of silence,” Dr. Joseph Frager, who sponsors the annual event, told Arutz-7’s Ezra HaLevi.
Frager says he has continuously striven to unify the parade and the concert, without success. “I was a marshal in the Israel Day Parade for years during the 90s,” Frager said. “I hope to see the Jewish people unified and fortified. But we simply have no choice but to stand up and say the idea of expelling Jews from parts of our land is unacceptable. Now is the time to rally behind the 9,000 Jews of Gush Katif and the northern Shomron, to give them strength.”
Prior to the concert, anti-expulsion protesters are planning to march in the parade itself, with the Zionist Organization of America contingent. They plan to meet at 1:00 PM at 53rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues. Orange shirts will be supplied to those who do not have.
The concert itself will be broadcast live at IsraelNationalRadio.com.
IsraelNationalRadio’s Tovia Singer, who will be the Master of Ceremonies at the concert, hopes the event will allow the tens of thousands of Americans who stand with the Jews of Gaza and northern Samaria to stand up for them: “This is an opportunity for folks living throughout North America to stand with their brothers and sisters – people they don’t know, but love deeply. There are so many people who want to know: ‘What can I do? After all, I demonstrated for Jews in Iran, for Jews in the Soviet Union. Now the Jews of Israel are being placed in grave danger and I want to let them know they have my support.’ ”
Speakers at the event will include former Cabinet Members MK Effie Eitam (Religious Zionist Renewal Party) and MK Uzi Landau (Likud), New York State officials, rabbis and Jewish organizational heads.
"What is your message to those who question the right of Jews living outside of Israel to protest Israeli government policies?" Frager was asked.
“First of all, we are our brothers’ keepers,” Frager said. “American Jews should have helped their brethren more during World War Two, and we are here now refusing to repeat that mistake. I don’t want to be guilty of silence."
“Second of all, the US is giving more than a billion dollars toward the disengagement – so American taxpayers, including me, are footing the bill for this thing.
“Third, I quote Shimon Peres (not that I am a big fan of his). He says, ‘The Prime Minister of Israel is elected in Israel, but crowned at the White House.' This is very true today, and it is therefore obligatory upon us to speak out.”
In past years, the concert has been held against Israeli concessions to and arming of the PLO, in support of the imprisoned Jonathan Pollard, in support of the Jews of Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza), and for an undivided Jerusalem.
Of course, together with the message of solidarity with the Jews facing expulsion, is the ultimate message to the attendees themselves and to all the Jews parading down Fifth Avenue: Make Aliyah - Immigrate to Israel. “The message is always Aliyah,” Frager said. “We are doing what we can while we are here, but we know full well that we belong in Israel.”
Hundreds of those attending the concert will, in fact, board planes for the Holy Land immediately following the event. A mission of Jewish and non-Jewish supporters of Israel will be leaving JFK Airport that evening, traveling directly after landing to Gush Katif.
For those who won't be there, IsraelNationalRadio will bring you there via its Live Broadcast, this Sunday, 2:30PM-6PM NY time, 9:30PM-1:30AM Israel time.
MC'ing the concert will be Arutz-7's own Tovia Singer, " The Chief Rabbi of TalkRadio." The event will take place, rain or shine, in Central Park’s East Meadow, at 97th Street and 5th Avenue, today, June 5, 2005 from 2:30-6 PM.
This year’s Central Park concert will be a rejection of the role of “Jews of Silence” and a rejection of the expulsion of Jews in the Land of Israel.
The concert, which has taken place every year since 1994, has always espoused a pro-Land of Israel stance. “A bland message is an act of silence,” Dr. Joseph Frager, who sponsors the annual event, told Arutz-7’s Ezra HaLevi.
Frager says he has continuously striven to unify the parade and the concert, without success. “I was a marshal in the Israel Day Parade for years during the 90s,” Frager said. “I hope to see the Jewish people unified and fortified. But we simply have no choice but to stand up and say the idea of expelling Jews from parts of our land is unacceptable. Now is the time to rally behind the 9,000 Jews of Gush Katif and the northern Shomron, to give them strength.”
Prior to the concert, anti-expulsion protesters are planning to march in the parade itself, with the Zionist Organization of America contingent. They plan to meet at 1:00 PM at 53rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues. Orange shirts will be supplied to those who do not have.
The concert itself will be broadcast live at IsraelNationalRadio.com.
IsraelNationalRadio’s Tovia Singer, who will be the Master of Ceremonies at the concert, hopes the event will allow the tens of thousands of Americans who stand with the Jews of Gaza and northern Samaria to stand up for them: “This is an opportunity for folks living throughout North America to stand with their brothers and sisters – people they don’t know, but love deeply. There are so many people who want to know: ‘What can I do? After all, I demonstrated for Jews in Iran, for Jews in the Soviet Union. Now the Jews of Israel are being placed in grave danger and I want to let them know they have my support.’ ”
Speakers at the event will include former Cabinet Members MK Effie Eitam (Religious Zionist Renewal Party) and MK Uzi Landau (Likud), New York State officials, rabbis and Jewish organizational heads.
"What is your message to those who question the right of Jews living outside of Israel to protest Israeli government policies?" Frager was asked.
“First of all, we are our brothers’ keepers,” Frager said. “American Jews should have helped their brethren more during World War Two, and we are here now refusing to repeat that mistake. I don’t want to be guilty of silence."
“Second of all, the US is giving more than a billion dollars toward the disengagement – so American taxpayers, including me, are footing the bill for this thing.
“Third, I quote Shimon Peres (not that I am a big fan of his). He says, ‘The Prime Minister of Israel is elected in Israel, but crowned at the White House.' This is very true today, and it is therefore obligatory upon us to speak out.”
In past years, the concert has been held against Israeli concessions to and arming of the PLO, in support of the imprisoned Jonathan Pollard, in support of the Jews of Yesha (Judea, Samaria and Gaza), and for an undivided Jerusalem.
Of course, together with the message of solidarity with the Jews facing expulsion, is the ultimate message to the attendees themselves and to all the Jews parading down Fifth Avenue: Make Aliyah - Immigrate to Israel. “The message is always Aliyah,” Frager said. “We are doing what we can while we are here, but we know full well that we belong in Israel.”
Hundreds of those attending the concert will, in fact, board planes for the Holy Land immediately following the event. A mission of Jewish and non-Jewish supporters of Israel will be leaving JFK Airport that evening, traveling directly after landing to Gush Katif.
For those who won't be there, IsraelNationalRadio will bring you there via its Live Broadcast, this Sunday, 2:30PM-6PM NY time, 9:30PM-1:30AM Israel time.