Another year, another Boston for Israel rally. No big report this year--check out last year's multi-part entry here, complete with photos of Bus 19 and transcripts of some of the speakers. That was a much more political event, this year was just fun.

I actually took my wife and daughter, and we did the full day, starting at the big gathering at Copley Square, and then marching with the parade the one and a half miles to City Hall Plaza. As I mentioned no speeches this year, just fallafel sandwiches and music, provided by...uh, some Israeli group "Mashina," of whom, of course I had never heard. They were quite good, though. A couple guys played an accoustic guitar (well, one played, one just sang) as the warm-up act. Also very good, although they were on for a long while--long enough so that after we arrived at City Hall, we went down to Faneuil Hall for something more to eat and when we came back they were still on, but whatever.

I'd say turn-out was excellent, as these photos of the march (looking in front of us and behind us) and then the crowd watching the music attest.

Yes, there was the usual collection of moonbats, haters and freaks. Same crew, same signs as last year ("We support the resistance," etc...) They were allowed very close to where the marchers were entering the plaza (there was a security check), and were screaming at people as they filed in. They were lead by someone with a megaphone and, unlike last-year, the cops let them keep it. Also unlike last-year, however, the set-up was much better, with the concert around the corner of City Hall from where the "protesters" were, so the entire afternoon wasn't a shouting match between the entertainment and moonbaticus odiferous. Also, it appears that, as this picture shows, the cops actually pushed them much farther back later and they were completely surrounded by riot cops by the time we left (we didn't stay for the whole show). Sorry (or not), but you have to be completely fucked in the head to still be screaming slogans three hours after you start, and not only that, but screaming into the faces of whole families (it was a family activity with face-painting, balloon animals and all that, so there were many children present) as well. Way to show the Jews and whatever other part of the world that takes notice of these things that we still need to be vigilant. BTW, the six clear sort of "towers" in the picture above are part of Boston's Holocaust Memorial.

[Edit: I wanted to add one more thing here. Every time I've been to one of these things where there were protesters present, the same pattern emerges. On the Israel side there is a multiplicity of voices present. There were people carrying signs against the disengagement, and people who were "Pro-Israel, Against the Occupation"--hell, there was even a contingent of Jews for Jesus. There was one main theme aside from the celebration of Israel, and that was "peace"--uneqivocally. The contrast with the so-called "pro-Palestinian" side could not be more pronounced. The protesters were a single-message group, and there was no message of peace among them. There were no signs of reconciliation, two-state solutions, hands open to others...the only signs of peace I see are signs like "No Peace Without Justice," and that "Justice," as I noted in this earlier post, is purely the retributive type that has nothing to do with real peace. Not to mention that their favorite chant is "Shut it down!" referring to Israel.

Another side-note: The only side that carries the American flag at these things (I exclude the Nazis here) is the pro-Israel side, and they were distributed along with Israeli flags to the marchers.]

And, of course, the usual half-dozen White Supremacist/Nazi/whatever they are guys were there. Barely worth a mention, but always worth a look:

Anyway, we had a nice time, and the march was nice exercise. My daughter had a good time riding my shoulders and waving her little Israel and American flags and being part of a "parade." She also enjoyed the police horses and the police escort. Here's a shot of a few of the horses:

See you next year. Am Yisrael Chai.

Update: Jewish Russian Telegraph has a report along with a transcript of one of the kick-off speeches.

Boston Globe report here.