Montrealers celebrate Israel's 60th

Montrealers held a big birthday party today for Israel in the heart of downtown.

Politicians like federal liberal leader Stéphane Dion and federal public security minister Stockwell Day danced cheek by jowl with other merrymakers celebrating Israel's 60th, in a bid to break the world record for the biggest collective hora traditional folk dance:  the record was 13,800 people two years ago in Romania.

Organizer Bill Surkis says they stand a good chance, transporting people from high schools, day schools, and synagogue congregations from as far away as Sherbrooke and Ottawa.

"We got people on the buses and there were over 85 buses that came down. They all signed a sign-in sheet. We had aerial photography."

But the festivities splashed with the blue and white of Israel were mainly a show of pride, as participants wore the flag of Israel draped around their shoulders,  hoisted flags and banners in the air, had blue stars of David painted on their cheeks. A sprinkling of Canadian and Quebec flags dotted the massive crowd.

Organizer and former city councillor Saulie Zajdel says it's a cause for celebration.

"They started as a small settlement with tens of thousands of people with the remnants of the second world war and now it's a thriving nation of seven million people."

"We're here to say Mazel Tov, congratulations  to Israel on its 60th birthday and we're just happy that the state is thriving."

And despite a Middle East peace process that has been slow to break through.....

"You always got to be optimistic in life. If you have no hope, you have nothing."