Some moments pass quietly. Others leave an imprint on your soul. Participating in the parade was one of those moments.

When I learned that New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani would not attend the Israel Day Parade, breaking with a decades-long tradition, I felt something deeper than political disappointment. A mayor is elected to represent an entire city and all of its people — not one ideology, one community, or one grievance. That responsibility includes standing with New York’s Jewish community at a time when antisemitism is rising at an alarming rate.

Public office carries a responsibility that transcends ideology. Once in office, he should have prioritized the interests of all New Yorkers, including those who looked to their mayor for solidarity in the face of rising antisemitism.

— Dr. Anila Ali

Indeed, his views about Israel were well known before he was elected. Yet public office carries a responsibility that transcends ideology. Once in office, he should have prioritized the interests of all New Yorkers, including those who looked to their mayor for solidarity in the face of rising antisemitism. His refusal to participate in the parade reflected a failure of leadership.

Why I Could Not Stay Silent

Since the Oct. 7 attacks and the cynical weaponization of religion that followed, voices like Mamdani’s have often sought to justify or contextualize the atrocities. I found myself compelled to speak out. When I addressed the March for Israel rally on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., it was not because I am Jewish or Israeli. It was because I am Muslim, American, a mother, and a human being.

I spoke because evil had revealed itself without disguise. The consequences of calling that out were real. I lost friends. I lost donors. I lost board members. But I did not lose my moral compass.

I lost friends. I lost donors. I lost board members. But I did not lose my moral compass.

— Dr. Anila Ali

While Mr. Mayor decided to court his fellow ideologue, Mahmoud Khalil — calling him a New Yorker and wanting to defend him — the Jewish community members in New York were being harassed. His refusal to confront Islamist men choosing to pray in front of a Jewish girls’ school is quite telling.

That discrimination is why Mayor Mamdani’s absence at the parade mattered. As New York’s first Muslim mayor, he had a unique opportunity to demonstrate that leadership rises above ideology. He could have sent a powerful message that Muslims, Jews, Christians, and people of all faiths belong equally in the fabric of New York City. Instead, he chose not to be there.

So We Marched

It then became morally imperative for us, as Muslims, to raise our voices and be part of the parade. So I led vocal, moderate Muslim organizations under the banner: Muslims for Israel. It was a historic first for the parade as well.

Why Dr. Ali Marched — In Her Own Words
  • Being Muslim does not mean opposing Israel
  • Synagogues should never become targets
  • America must not import the hatreds of distant conflicts onto the streets of New York
  • Muslims against hate and antisemitism must have a visible, public voice

What She Saw on Fifth Avenue

As we walked up Fifth Avenue, people lined the route and stared at our banner. Then their faces softened, and their eyes lit up. Elderly Jewish men and women looked at us with surprise and gratitude. Some smiled. Some cried. Many reached out their hands.

I stepped ahead of the delegation and walked alongside the crowd, placing my hand over my heart. Without words, I tried to convey a simple message: We are real. We are with you. You are not alone.

Several women told me later that they had attended the parade for decades and had never experienced anything quite like this. “You brought light to the parade,” one woman said.

— Dr. Anila Ali, recounting parade participants’ words

The response was overwhelming for all of us marching. As people waved Israeli and American flags, they thanked us repeatedly. That is the truth about love and solidarity: when they are offered sincerely, they often return many times over.

I noticed a sign on one of the buildings that read, “Love Thy Neighbor.” While often associated with Judaism and Christianity, this principle lies at the heart of the entire Abrahamic tradition. It is also Islam at its best.

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Lessons from Islamic History

Authentic Muslim Leadership — Historical Precedents
Sultan Mohammed V of Morocco While the British-installed Mufti, Haj Amin al-Husseini, chose to collaborate with Hitler, Sultan Mohammed V refused to cooperate with the Nazi-aligned Vichy regime’s efforts to persecute Moroccan Jews. When pressured to identify and segregate Jewish citizens, he insisted that there were no Jews in Morocco, only Moroccan subjects. That moral courage helped protect Morocco’s Jewish community during one of history’s darkest chapters.
Caliph Umar Umar famously refused to pray inside Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre because he feared future generations might use his actions to justify converting the church into a mosque — protecting Christian sacred space even at the height of Islamic power.
Salahuddin (Saladin) Remembered not only as a military leader but as a statesman who invited Jewish communities to return, live, and worship freely — earning him the respect of friends and foes alike. These examples remind us that authentic Muslim leadership safeguards the dignity and rights of others.

How the Parade Was Born

New York itself has a long tradition of celebrating diversity. The Israel Day Parade was founded by Ted Comet, who recognized that New York honored many communities through public celebrations but lacked an event dedicated to Israel. What began as an idea grew into one of the city’s largest annual gatherings, attracting hundreds of thousands of participants from diverse backgrounds. For decades, figures such as Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel attended, reflecting the parade’s significance to generations of New Yorkers. Today, however, rising antisemitism has transformed participation into something more than a cultural celebration.

A Mayor’s Choice — and Ours

Mayor Mamdani has failed to meet this moment. He can choose to be remembered as a leader who deepened divisions or as one who brought communities together. Leadership is ultimately about choices.

For me, I will keep walking with Jews and Christians. I will keep walking with Muslims who reject hatred and extremism. Harassment, intimidation, and antisemitism will never produce peace — certainly not for conflicts unfolding thousands of miles away.

On Fifth Avenue I caught a glimpse of what peace might look like. It looked like Muslims carrying Israeli and American flags — a powerful reminder that peace is built not by governments alone, but by courageous citizens willing to reach out to each other.

— Dr. Anila Ali

At a time when hate dominates headlines, the historic participation of Muslims for Israel offered harmony and the hope that the children of Abraham can walk forward together.

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Read original at JewishLink.news ↗