Thank you NJJN for capturing the excitement of the FCNJ car parades!
Thank you Johanna Ginsberg and NJJN | New Jersey Jewish News for capturing the excitement of the FCNJ – Friendship Circle car parades!
From NJJN – New Jersey Jewish News:
On Sunday morning, May 10, 13-year-old Shai Nissel, who has a brain injury, and his family gathered outside their West Orange home. First they heard the wail of the sirens, then caught a glimpse of a caravan of cars, vans, police cruisers, ambulances, and fire trucks making their way to their house.
In decorated vehicles, volunteers held up signs, cheered, and called Shai’s name. Ruby Schechner, 21, dressed as Cookie Monster, threw mini chocolate chip cookies to the Nissels from her family’s festive convertible, with blue, orange, green, and purple balloons taped to the doors. Soon after, there was a car featuring two dogs with their heads out of the windows; another was draped in brightly colored squares and rainbow flags and with volunteers wearing sequin hats and Mardi Gras beads, holding signs that said “Love.” Police officers, pleased to be part of a celebration instead of breaking one up, waved and blared their sirens.
Read more here.
If they can’t come to Friendship Circle, Friendship Circle comes to them. Photos by Johanna Ginsberg 
During Friendship Circle parades, executive director Rabbi Zalman Grossbaum often jumps out of his van and dances in front of the families they are visiting. 
Shimon Nissel said that after the parade featuring police cruisers, an ambulance, and fire truck, his son Shai mimicked the sound of the sirens for the rest of the day.
