Berlin holds its first Jewish parade

Several hundred Jewish revelers gathered in Berlin for what was billed as the city’s first Jewish parade.

Marking Lag B’Omer, the “Unity Parade” for peace and tolerance made its way May 2 from the Kurfurstendam to the Chabad educational center, where a street fair awaited participants. Rabbis Yehudah Teichtal and Shmuel Segal led the parade, which featured makeshift floats and a German bagpipe band.

Before the parade, some Jewish leaders suggested that such public celebrations promote stereotypes. Teichtal, however, said that local Jewish leaders have attended Chabad’s public Chanukah candlelighting ceremonies at the Brandenburg Gate for years.

Among the parade’s supporters were the Israeli Embassy, United Israel Appeal, Germany’s main weekly Jewish newspaper and the Central Welfare Council of Jews in Germany. — jta