Recording Artist 'Sir Ivan' Led the Salute to Israel Parade Alongside Mayor Michael
Bloomberg & Governor David Patterson to Celebrate Israel's 60th Anniversary
MEDIA RELEASE PR30698
NEW YORK, June 16 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
"Sir Ivan" Wilzig aka Mr. Mitzvah, the first Jewish superhero on TV, wowed the crowds as the
Honorary Grand Marshal for the Salute to Israel Parade in New York. This year's parade marked
the country's 60th Anniversary. The internationally famed recording artist marched next to New
York's top political leaders, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor David Patterson.
Although his late father Siggi B. Wilzig, an Auschwitz survivor and
legendary banker, bought over $100 million dollars worth of Israel Bonds in his lifetime and
received the Prime Minister's Medal for supporting the State
of Israel, it was his son's hysterical over-the-top performance as Mr.
Mitzvah, the world's first Jewish superhero, that inspired the Israel
Independence Day Parade organizers to pick "Sir Ivan" Wilzig to be the
Honorary Grand Marshal of the parade this past Sunday.
According to I.M.D.B., the television industry's internet measurement guide of popularity, "Sir
Ivan" was by far the most popular contestant on the
Sci Fi Channel's hit reality show "Who Wants To Be A Superhero?" produced by
comic book superhero creative genius Stan Lee. The Mr. Mitzvah character stood
out from the pack and was particularly unusual because "Sir Ivan" looked like
the bleach-blonde rock star Billy Idol but sounded like the Broadway comedian
Jackie Mason.
Sixty shofars were blown in unison to start things off in style. "Sir Ivan" in his Mr. Mitzvah
superhero costume marched alongside Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Grand Marshal of the
Parade and Governor David Patterson of New
York. Fellow marchers also included "Dancing with the Stars" Steve
Guttenberg and Marissa Jaret Winokur, along with Valerie Harper, Lainie Kazan,
Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa and hip-hop violinist Miri Ben-Ari.
Marching bands, horse-drawn carriages, antique cars and luxury limousines carrying the waving
celebrities worked their way north alongside street
performers, clowns, jugglers and face painters.
Afterwards, the parade hosted the largest hora, the traditional Israeli dance, ever attempted
since 1948, with hundreds of dancers covering all 22 blocks of the parade's route -- from 57th
Street to 79th Street. About 200 pro-Palestinian counter demonstrators watched from behind
police barricades.
Pro-Israel parade-goers hoisted the country's blue and white flag and sang Jewish folk songs.
Contingents from yeshivas and Jewish day schools around the
region marched in their school T-shirts. The Salute to Israel Parade is the largest and most
exciting Jewish community parade in the world. In this 60th
Anniversary year, over 100,000 participants marched proudly up Fifth Avenue,
cheered on by more than one million spectators. Millions more watched the parade on television.
SOURCE: "Sir Ivan"
CONTACT: Edward Callaghan or John Wegorzewski, for "Sir Ivan",
+1-631-283-9130/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN2
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com/
Translations:
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