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July 2, 2004/Tamuz 13 5764, Vol. 56, No.41
Israeli smilesFriendship Caravan brings music to Valley
BETH OLSON
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 The Israeli Scouts Friendship Caravan performs at the Tri-City Jewish Community Center in the final performance of a 10-day stint in the Valley. Photo by Beth Olson |
The teens are Israeli Scouts participating in the Friendship Caravan, a group of 16- and 17-year-olds who tour North America with their multimedia musical show. There are three Friendship Caravans touring simultaneously this summer.
After performing in Oklahoma and before traveling on to California and Colorado, the group was hosted by Phoenix families for 10 days. They performed about 20 times while they were in the Valley in front of more than 3,400 people.
Idan Liav, a scout from Ramat Gan, Israel, says he's been interested in participating in the Caravan since seventh grade. After a rigorous selection process, the group rehearsed for five months before coming "to bring Israel to the Americans."
"The most fun part for me would have to be the part where we go to schools and meet people our age and talk to them about Israel and show them that we do have the same interests and hobbies, likes and dislikes, and (that) basically the teenagers in Israel and here are the same," he says.
Lisa Edson, Tri-City JCC camp director, says she loves the opportunity to bring Israeli culture and the scouts to her campers each year.
"They're wonderful," she says. "The kids love the show."
Eitan Ben-Ami, director of the Israel Center of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix, makes all of the arrangements for the scouts while they're here.
"They bring the spirit of the Israeli youth," he says. "The (Phoenix) community is exposed to the most wonderful thing that Israel has."
Ben-Ami has a special affinity for the Israeli Scouts, since he participated in the Caravan himself in 1979, when he was 16 years old.
In addition to performing at the Tri-City JCC, the group performed at Beth El Congregation, the Ina Levine Jewish Community Campus, Temple Solel, Temple Chai, Temple Beth Shalom, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Dove of the Desert United Methodist Church and other locations in the Valley and around Arizona.