Slovak tourists in Tel Aviv for the LGBT parade in 2018 . (photo credit: TAMARA ZIEVE)
For the 20th time in two decades, the streets of Tel Aviv burst with rainbow colored decorations, high energy and pumping music as Israelis and tourists alike streamed through the city to celebrate the annual LGBTQ Pride Parade. This year an historic number of 250,000 people took part in the parade, according to the Tel Aviv municipality.
The theme of this year’s event is “the community makes history” as the LGBTQ community celebrates three historic milestones: 10 years to the founding of the Gay Center in Tel Aviv, 20 years to Tel Aviv’s first Pride and 70 Years of Israeli Independence.
“I am proud to stand here before you,” Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai told the crowd before he officially launched the parade. “I remember how it was 20 years ago when we started this parade and I am thrilled to see the wide audience here in the street, the atmosphere and the freedom that is felt here,” he said
“We have marched for 20 years and we have made a lot of progress, but we still have a way to go and we will walk together and we will break down the barriers of hate, of separation, of legislation and we will reach a situation where the free and sovereign state of Israel every human being will be equal,” he continued.
This march, Huldai added, says “we are here and we won’t stop marching until we achieve our goal.”
From Ben Zion road, the revelers made their way to the beach promenade, where floats of different themes awaited them.
Watching the floats go by, Adi Jurman, from Ramat Gan, told the Post that for her the significance of the event is “being whoever you want to be without feeling any guilt or criticism and being free.”
“The Tel Aviv Pride parade,” is the best, says Tibor Dezso a Slovakian tourist. Sitting at a cafe on the beach, the group of Slovaks tell the Jerusalem Post that they have traveled to celebrate Pride in several countries, and have returned to Israel for the second time.
“Tel Aviv is the best because of the good weather, the open-minded people, the whole spirit and atmosphere of the city,” Dezso says, and his friend Peter Gehdos chimes in that the beautiful people are another attraction.
He also remarks that he finds Slovakian people less open-minded that in Tel Aviv.
Vlado Sul adds that he feels very safe in Tel Aviv, which he found surprising in light of the perception he had of Israel from the media, before he had visited.
But Tova Dinkin, an American citizen living in Israel, says she prefers the New York event, which she feels is more of an organized parade, whereas she sees the Tel Aviv one as a march and a sprawling street party.
The final stop of the party was Charles Clore park where Eurovision Song Contest Netta Barzilai performed, along with other Israeli and international artists.
The parade marked the end of a two-week-long festival which included TLVFest – the City’s international gay film festival, a LGBT cultural lineup of events, a special show by the Israeli Opera honoring “the great divas” which took place at NYX – the official Tel Aviv pride hotel — and tributes to key historical figures in the LGBT community.
Celebrations were set to continue throughout the weekend, with massive after-parties expected to attract tens of thousands of party-goers, including one featuring internationally acclaimed DJ and gay-icon Ofer Nissim.
American television personality and the Tel Aviv Pride 2018 Ambassador Andy Cohen gushed about his first experience of Pride week in Israel, at an international press conference held on the eve of the parade.
“It’s so great to be here.. I live in New York City and this is my first but definitely not my last time in Tel Aviv,” he enthused. “I am a proud gay Jewish man and the only gay host in late night TV. I have been struck by how incredible it is, not only to be here, but as a proud gay Jewish man surrounded by my people.”
“It’s also an amazing thing seeing gay pride flags flying everywhere next to the flag of Israel,” he added. “Celebrating Pride in Tel Aviv is a beautiful celebration of gay rights and visibility in a region where many of the neighbors cannot live as their true selves or be who they were born to be, which makes it all the more special for this massive coming together in support of equality to be taking place in Tel Aviv.”
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