Amid the anfblding panorama of singers and dancers and high-stepping, epaulet-adorned drummers who elicit enthusiastic cheers from the crowds at the Salute to Israel Parade are dozens of floats that are accompanied by happfly waving men and women.

Some of the names that are emblazoned on the sides ofthe 42 floats that sail majestically aiong Fifth Avenue belong to organizations that evoke instant recognition fixjm bystanders. Others may be less familiar. Every one ofthe agendes that either have sponsored a float, or have chosen to march without one, have played, and continue to play an important role in the support for Israel among the American Jewish community. Organization members who have come out to join their fellow marchers at the Parade are young, old and middleaged; they come fixim many different backgrounds, and they hold, or have retired fiom, myriad professions. What they share as a common bond is their unwavering commitment to the Jewish state, and their devotion, often over many years, to fundraising activities, the goal of which is to ensure that scores of humanitarian projects and programs in Israel continue to thrive and benefit all of its citizens.

What follows is a look at 11 ofthe organizations that represent agencies in Israel, and a number of the projects that are fiinded by these entities.

American Committee for Shaare Zedek

Paul Glasser, who is the executive vice president for the American Committee fbr Shaare Zedek, has a special wish to make on the eve of Israel's 60''' birthday.

"I hope that the shared co-existence (exemplified by Shaare Tzedek) will be a model for a coexistence in peace in that area ofthe world."

The American Committee for Shaare Zedeck, which has offices in ten nations outside Israel, helps supports the Shaare Zedek ("Gates of Peace") Medical Center, a large research hospital in downtown Jerusalem that treats more than a quarter-of-a-million patients every year. Last year, the American Committee raised $23 million.

"Shaare Tzedek is known as 'the hospital with a heart'," said Glasser. "Some hospitals treat diseases. We treat padents.The difference between Shaare Tzedek and the others is that the feel of compassionate care is in the air when you vralk into the building. We take care of patients fiom any background. Shaare Tzedek is a model of shared coexistence and a model for peace.The head of thoracic surgery is a Christian Arab who saved an Israeli girl."

American Friends of ALYN Hospital

For the second consecutive year, American Friends of ALYN Hospital are taking their place among the numerous marchers at the 2008 Salute to Israel parade. After all, the organization enjoyed its participation in last year's event.

"We thought it was a very positive experience," said executive director Cathy Lanyard, who added that the agency anticipates having national board members, members who participated in local bike rides, families, and donors from the Tri-State area attend the Parade.

As its mission, the American Friends of ALYN Hospital focuses on fundraising and increasing awareness for Israel's ALYN Hospital, a Jerusalem-based comprehensive rehabilitation center for physically challenged and disabled children, adolescents and young adults. The hospital provides medical, para-medical and educational rehabilitation services to children, regardless of religious belief, nationality or ethnic background.

Fundraising is critical for ALYN Hospital, according to Lanyard, because ofthe children who are treated by the hospital, only a small percent are reimbursed by health care. "So every day we have a shortfall for every singje child we treat," she noted. "We need between $3 nullion and $4 million each year. Then we need money for special projects, for research and for the replacement of special equipment, among other projects."

American Friends of Magen David Adom - ARMDI

It's a family affair for memben of the American Friends of Magen David Adom -ARMDI, as the agency's float makes its way up Fifth Avenue.

"The Salute to Israel Parade is.

in our eyes, an important expression of solidarity with Israel," said Robert Kern, director of marketing and communications for ARMDI. "As we're a very respected part of Israeli society, it is the proper place for us to be. "Members ofthe board ride on the float with their children."

The organization supports Israel's Magen David Adom (MDA), the nation's only government-mandated ambulance and emergency responders. It provides medical, disaster, ambulance and blood services. MDA, which takes care of more than 700,000 patients every year, operates more than 700 ambulances and mobile intensive care units. In addition to these activities, MDA provides all but 3% ofthe blood needs of the Jewish state.

American Jewish Committtee

Making its third consecutive appearance at the Salute to Israel Parade is the American Jewish Committee (AJC). And being on Fifth Avenue, surrounded by hundreds of thousands of blue-and-white Israeli flag-vraving supporters is just where AJC should be, according to Shula Bahat, the organization's associate executive director.

"We belong there," declared Bahat, a native Israeli who served as a career officer in the Israeli Defense Forces for five years and was a captain when she left the Army in 1967. "We are one of the key advocacy Israel organizations, and we are showing our sohdarity and support for the state of Israel."

Bahat would very much like to bring a youthful generation of Jews into the fold ofher entity. "We hope to have a showing of many young people. I believe there is much greater support for Israel than is evident. People don't feel the way to show it is by parading on Fifth Avenue. But we think this is the way to show it."

A major focus of AJC mission is advocacy for the Jewish state. To that end, the agency supports the bringing of people fiom other countries, who are in a position to mold policy, to Israel. "They come back with a great appreciation with what the State of Israel is about," said Bahat. "They have the appreciation of the challenges of living in a neighborhood that challenges Israel's existence."

What are her goals for her oi^nization? "Here in the U.S. to hold the

values of pluralism and divenity, and, in the international arena, be in touch with the leadership segment in every country that is important, in order to advance Jewish interests," she said. "In the Jewish community, to make sure that it's tied with the achievements of the state of Israel."

AMTT

AMIT (Americans fbr Israel and Torah), which supports religious Zionist education and social services for Israeli children and youth, has been a frequent participant in the festive spirit of the Salute to Israel Parade, having sponsored a float in the event for many years.

"We were founded in 1925 and we have stayed true to our principles as a Zionist organization," said Barbara Goldberg, direaor of communications. The purpose is to build Israel through education for children. It would be anathema for us not to support the Parade. And the Parade attracts a lot of attention and is a very good putreach for AMIT."

AMIT raises roughly between $9 million and $10 million annually to support its mission of providing a religious Jewish education that incorporates academic and technological studies. The organization also includes youth villages as well as facilities for children who are in foster care.

Goldbei^ would hke the agency to be able to expand its efforts in the fliture."At AMIT, we are constantly approached by various municipahties in Israel to take over their schools because ofour success, but we can't because of our financial considerations," she said. "Our goal would be to educate all of the children who need us and to have the financial resources to do that, so we'd like to have the financial resources to do that in Israel."

Hadassah

Everyone, it seems, knows Hadassah, the Women's Zionist Organization of America, founded by the legendary Henrietta Szold in 1912, and now the largest Jevkish women's volunteer organization nationwide. And the head of Hadassah, today, knows that the Salute to Israel Parade is where the agency that provides health care, education and youth programs should be.

"Hadassah has been devoted to building Israel for 96 years," said president Nancy Falchuk."So, when it's celebrating an anniversary, we're there."

The organization that Szold began

as a study group for women has grown tremendously over the last century. Today, Hadassah is the second largest employer in Jerusalem, and is building a new $210 million hospital tower in Jerusalem, according to Falchuk.

"Most of the clinical research in Israel comes out of Hadassah," said Falchuk. "I see us building a lot more connections to medicine. We do a lot around the world in terms of joint research projects. We build bridges through medicine. We treat all who come through our doon and train and educate anyone who needs our care and help."

In 2005, Hadassah's two Jerusalem-based hospitals were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

"We've been working with the land and people, before it was a state," said Falchuck. "Anyone who sees that float go by feels pride."

Jewish Agency for Israel

This year is proving to be a special one for the Jewish Agency for Israel dAFI), which has been deeply involved in Israel for the past 80 years.

In March, the oranization, which has participated in the Salute to Israel Parade for years, was awarded the prestigious 2008 Israel Prize for its lifetime achievement and special contribution to society and the State of Israel.

JAFI served as the Jewish government in Palestine before the founding ofthe state in 1948, and later became responsible for the immigration and absorption of Jews from around the world.

Today, operating with a global budget of $300 million, the agency is involved in almost every facet of Jewish life in Israel, from continuing to encourage immigration, to educational projects and revitalizing neighborhoods throughout the country.

Jewish National Fund

At 107 years of age, Keren Kayemet L'Yismet, or the Jewish National Fund (JNF) is as vigorous as ever in maintaining its support for the State of Israel, by concentrating on preserving the land of Israel.

"We are looking to continue to connect people to Israel in a positive way," said chief executive officer Russell F. Robinson. "I am seeing more and more Jews, young and old alike, who are proud and stronger in their commitment to Israel and Judaism because there is a State of Israel. The soil of Israel is the soul of the Jewish

people, and we look forward to forging that connection for more and more people."

The organization has long been instantly identifiable by its signature "Blue Boxes," into which generations of Jews have poured pennies and dropped dimes with which JNF first purchased land in Israel to support a Jewish homeland, and, with which, later, helped the agency to preserve the land by planting over 200 miUion trees, building infirastructure for housing, parks and recreational areas, and settling immigrants. Today, JNF has focused its attention on developing Israel's southern region through its ambitious "Blueprint Negev" project.

We are bringing change to the Negev to better the quality oflife for all its citizens as well as to drive economic opportunities," said Jody Bodner, the agency's director of conununications.

In addition to building new suburbs and investing in existing towns, commented Bodner,JNF is constructing a 900-acre park, with a sports promenade and other features, in the city of Beersheva. Other programs include an internship program with Ben-Gurion University, in which students are matched up with employers. JNF has also built security bypass roads along Israel's northern border with Lebanon, in an effort to provide greater security for Israeli citizens. In the United States, meanwhile, the o^nization promotes Zionist education through a broad range of programs, including the sending of young adults and students to Israel to work on community service projects.

Nefesh B'Nefesh

Many of the organizations that are marching in the Parade focus on raising money in order to help people in Israel. Nefesh B'Nefesh, which means "Soul to Soul," is an agency that provides practical assistance to Israeliinmigrating Jews before and after they arrive in their new home.

Founded in the United States six years ago to facilitate immigration from the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom to Israel, Nefesh B'Nefesh employs professionals who concentrate on removing and/or minimizing the financial, professional, logistical and social obstacles that are faced by Olim ("new immigrants").

"In the realm of employment, it's very hard to re-adopt to a new country, and to find a job," said Yael Katsman, the oi^nization's director of market-

ing and communications. "You have to give up your former position in your native country and relocate to a new environment. We meet with potential immigrants before they move, who sit down with the Olim, and work on their curriculum vitas, and put them in touch with former immigrants who can help them in their professions."

The agency's role of helping new Olim dovetails with one of the Jewish state's most important missions, that of encouraging immigration among Jews in the Diaspora to Israel, according to Katsman. "The money (that we receive) helps to fund those Jews who want to live out their dreams of living in Israel. It helps us facilitate the special programming to ease the Olim into Israeli society. It helps the state of Israel as well."

Some of the Olim who Nefesh B'Nefesh have helped, or are in the process of helping, to immigrate to Israel usually march in the Parade."Generally, we feel very embraced by people when we sail through Fifth Avenue," said Katsman. It's a very warm and welcoming reception that we receive."

One Family Fund

One of the most enduring presences at the Salute to Israel Parade in recent years has been One Family Fund, whose task it has been to help every victim of a terrorist attack in Israel durir^ the last seven years.

"The parade is a well-known annual event," said executive director Ariel Kotler. "It's a great place for us to show our face and be in the midst of the Jewish community. And donors push us to be part of it as well."

Regardless of whether the attack is suicide bombing on a Sbarro's Piz¬

zeria in Tel Aviv, or a barrage of rockets falling on the southern border town of Sderot, or a massacre of yeshiva students in Jerusalem, the organization arrives within 48 hours to provide emotional, and financial assistance, according to Ariel Koder.

Given the somber nature of its mission One Family Fund, which has an annual international operating budget of $6 million, forgoes a float at the Parade. Instead, the agency brings victims of terrorist attacks in Israel to New York to march on Fifth Avenue. Among the organization's guests this year will be a family fiom Sderot.

Yad Sarah/Friends of Yad Sarah

With 6,0(K) Israebs who have volunteered to be part of Yad Sarah, the organization that provides more than 20 different health, home care and social services in the Jewish state is an instandy recognizable one.

"Everyone in Israel knows someone who is a Yad Sarah volunteer," said Adele Goldberg, executive director for the American arm of the organization.

That popularity has not yet been duplicated in the United States, which is one ofthe reasons the group decided to make its inaugural appearance at last year's Parade.

"It's probably the biggest Israelcentric event in the NewYork metropolitan area," commented Goldberg. "And it's a great event. We thought it would give the organization more exposure.Yad Sarah is an organization that has a very high profile in Israel and a low profile in the U.S.We haven't been as active as other organizations. We have only operated for the past

four years so we have catching up to do."

The organization's fundraising American branch. Friends ofYad Sarah, is sponsoring a float in the Parade for the second straight year, after making an extraordinarily successful debut in 2007.

"When our float traveled on Fifth Avenue, a lot of the people who attended nodded in recognition," said Goldberg, who added, "The Salute to Israel Parade Cominittee did a great job."

Friends ofYad Sarah concentrates on public relations and raising fiinds for the broad range of programs and services that the Israeli organization provides. "Our biggest program is the purchasing of used home care and medical equipment, which is lent out in Israel. We do hundreds of thousand of loans every year. We also loan out ambulettes."

That isn't all. The organization, which has 104 branches in Israel, provides financiai support for geriatric dentists in Israel to provide in-home dental care, for play centers for special needs children, support for legal services, and services for the indigent, aniong others.

Yad Sarah's role in Israeli society is critical, according to Goldberg. "In Israel, it's not like here in the U.S.,with its health insurance. In Israel, if you need a wheelchair you go to Yad Sarah because the organization has one-stop shopping for home care needs."

To help maintain that tradition is important to Goldberg. "We want to raise more money so we can help the Yad Sarah organization in Israel grow in order to meet its needs."

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