Thousands of South Palm Beach County residents will once
again stand together in solidarity and spirit, celebrate
with flags and falafel, and share in joyous celebration of
Yom Ha’Atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. “Israel
Under The Stars,” the free annual community-wide
celebration presented by the Jewish Community Relations
Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach
County, returns to commemorate Israel’s 63 years of
statehood on Tuesday evening, May 10, 2011. This year’s
event has moved to an exciting new location: Sunset Cove
Amphitheater at South County Regional Park, 12551 Glades
Road, in Boca Raton
(2.5 miles west of US 441/SR 7).
“For three hours on Israel Independence Day, people of all
ages and backgrounds from throughout our community have the
opportunity to be transported to the sights, sounds and
tastes of Israel,” said Stephen Mendelsohn, a resident of
West Boca. He and his wife Lisa are serving as this year’s
Honorary Co-chairs of the event. “Now more than ever,
it is
especially important to show that
South Palm Beach County stands as one in support of the
State of Israel. We look forward to a great turnout.”
Israel Under The Stars
will feature performances by two artists. Brett Loewenstern
is the 17 year old high school student from Boca Raton who
gained notoriety as a 10th season American Idol
Semi-finalist. Joshua Nelson, the “Prince of Kosher Gospel”,
marries Jewish religious lyrics and meanings with the
soulful sounds of American gospel music rooted in African
tradition as a tool to escape social injustice.
(Learn more and check out
clips at
http://www.joshuanelson.com)
The Park will open at 5:00 pm for those who wish to picnic
or to participate in activities before the program begins.
There will be face painting with Israeli flags, postcards
sent to soldiers in the Israeli Defense Forces, and music.
Kosher food and beverages will be available for sale.
The “Israel Under The
Stars” program will begin at 6:00 pm. In addition
to the featured performers, children from local Jewish Day
Schools and synagogue religious schools will engage in song
and will perform a traditional Daglanut Israeli flag
routine. The program will also include a tribute to Gilad
Shalit, the IDF soldier who has been held in captivity since
his kidnapping by Hamas in the summer of 2006, and remarks
by local dignitaries.
Rabbi David Steinhardt, Chair of the Jewish Community
Relations Council, added “’Israel
Under The Stars’
is traditionally the largest annual event produced by the
Jewish Federation on behalf of our community. It allows
people of all faiths to demonstrate the fact that we are
united in our support of the only true democracy in the
Middle East. As Americans, we not only recognize the
importance of the alliance between Israel and the United
States, but we also celebrate that which Israel has achieved
in such a short period of time.”
Lawn chairs, blankets, picnic baskets and strollers are
welcome.
The event will take place rain or shine. Plenty of free
parking will be available. For more information, please call
the JCRC hotline at
561-852-6024 or visit
www.jewishboca.org/iuts.
The JCRC also invites community members and businesses to
express their pride and support of Israel by contributing to
One Voice for Israel.
Details regarding this special tribute to commemorate
Israel Independence Day are available at
www.jewishboca.org/onevoice.
“Israel
Under The Stars”
is generously supported by Gold Sponsor
G.L. Homes, as well as Bronze Sponsor Greenberg Traurig LLP.
For more information about corporate sponsorship of JCRC
events, call 561-852-3179.
The Jewish Community Relations Council is the public policy
and social action voice of the Jewish Federation of South
Palm Beach County. The Federation serves the Boca Raton,
Delray Beach, and Highland Beach areas, raising and
allocating millions of dollars per year to meet critical
needs locally, in Israel and throughout the world.