The Israel Day Parade in NYC ‘s theme, “Proud Americans, Proud Zionists,” is a political statement, not solely a celebration of Jewish culture. And no elected official should be compelled to endorse a political position simply because the calendar approaches a certain date. I believe identifying as a Zionist is a contested political identity, rather than an ethnic or religious descriptor. You can be Jewish without being Zionist (many are, historically and today), and you can be Zionist without being Jewish (many Christian Zionists are). That alone disqualifies it as an ethnic or religious descriptor. Mamdani was transparent. He said…