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May 7, 2004/Iyar 16 5764, Vol. 56, No. 33
Happy birthday, Israel
Community celebrates Yom Ha'atzmaut
LEISAH NAMM
Managing Editor
Betty and John McPeek ride a camel at the Yom Ha'atzmaut festival.
Photo by Leisah Namm
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Valley Jews showed support for Israel on April 25 when more than 5,500 members of the community attended the Yom Ha'atzmaut celebration at the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus in Scottsdale.
For four hours, people celebrated Israel's 56th Independence Day by eating Israeli food, riding camels, visiting booths of local Jewish organizations, purchasing artwork and products from Israeli vendors and enjoying performances from Israeli dancers and the Tel Aviv Scouts musical group to children's choirs from local day schools.
Gov. Janet Napalitano, Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross and Phoenix councilman Greg Stanton participated in a Stand Up for Israel rally.
The festival featured a raffle with more than 100 prizes valuing more than $20,000. Raffle prizes included an El Al Airlines round-trip ticket to Israel won by Florence Parker, a one-year family membership to the Valley of the Sun Jewish Community Center won by Janice Johnson and a one-year supply of Haagen-Dazs ice cream won by Carol Bell.
Steve and Ellen Rosenbaum chaired the festival, which was presented by the Israel Center and the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, in conjunction with the VOSJCC and the Bureau of Education.
Besides the Scottsdale celebration, day schools and religious schools throughout the Valley celebrated the holiday with craft activities, parades, Israeli food, birthday cake and simulated trips to Israel.
In Sun City on April 28, about 400 people gathered at Temple Beth Shalom for a musical tribute celebrating Israel's 56th anniversary orchestrated by musician Abe Meth. Guest performers included Rabbi Albert Plotkin, Cantor Mikhal Shiff-Matter and Cantor Baruch Koritan, who were accompanied by the West Valley Chorale and the Sun Cities Chamber Orchestra.
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