On a sweltering Sunday morning in Manhattan, NIF supporters marched in the annual Celebrate Israel Parade, alongside our progressive coalition partners Americans for Peace Now, T’ruah: the Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, and Progressive Partners for Israel.

The participation of progressive groups in the parade has become a rallying cry for right-wing critics in the past few years, dragging the UJA-Federation of New York and the New York Jewish Community Relations Council, sponsors of the march, and even the Israelis Consulate into a war of words launched by fringe groups promoting the idea that NIF and other progressive groups are “delegitimizing the State of Israel”.

Is it worth all the headache? To me, the answer is a resounding yes.

There is a small but vocal minority of American Jews working overtime to reframe the parameters of acceptable discourse on Israel. They want to silence those of us who speak out with loving criticism about the path that Israel is on.

In reality, most American Jews share our concerns. If we opt out of community events, not only will this hand a victory to bullies, but it will also strengthen the feeling that the organized American Jewish community is simply not hospitable to dissent when it comes to Israel. The widespread acceptance of that feeling would transform the community’s relationship to Israel into a hollow shell, disconnected from the best of Jewish values and alienating the vast majority of American Jews who expect to see those values represented in our communal leadership.

Nor should celebrating Israel be a privilege reserved for the right-wing. We love Israel. We are continually inspired by the creation of this amazing country and by the incredible work of the many Israelis on the ground working to make Israel better, more equal, and more democratic. The Israelis who are confronting racism, who are arguing before the courts, who speak out against injustice and who care deeply about Israel living up to its own best ideals – we march to give them voice.

Our presence at the parade on Sunday was a statement. But it was also what you hope every parade will be – pure fun. Our supporters were all smiles all day. Our beautiful new tri-lingual posters and t-shirts were a huge hit. (Yes, why shouldn’t Arabic be present alongside Hebrew and English in a parade that celebrates Israel?) And, I can say that – objectively speaking, of course – the gaggle of children marching with us were among the most adorable. We even “armed” ourselves with flowers to hand out to anyone giving us a hard time, a homage to the Tag Meir activists who did the same thing after the Jerusalem Day parade a few weeks ago, when marchers intimidated Palestinians in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City.

Our marchers represented a board range of ages, denominations, and levels of involvement with NIF. We shared a collective belief in a just, democratic Israel and a commitment to showing up publicly in a Jewish space to express that belief. The UJA-Federation of New York and the New York JCRC should be commended for ensuring that there is a big Jewish tent that remains open.

NIF was created based on the conviction that we can accomplish more to build a better Israel by joining together to support front line work of Israelis pressing for positive social change. But from the very beginning, NIF has also been something more. We are a community with common values and a common commitment to a better future, a community that here in New York, in Israel, and all around the world gives voice to the views and aspirations of so many.

While you may not have been there last Sunday on Fifth Avenue, we felt ourselves as representatives of this community, and I want to thank you for marching side-by-side with us in so many other ways that make NIF a year-round celebration of Israel at its best.