Larry Neuman, Julie Brook, Dr. Barry Brook and Ilan Goldman at the Yom Ha’Atzmaut celebration
By CJ Gossage
Assistant Editor
This year’s Yom Ha’Atzmaut event was family friendly as promised. Children and crafts defined this year’s celebration at the JCC, which took place on May 1.
Handily outnumbering the adults, children ran from booth to booth, exhibit to exhibit, wearing their blue clothing and festive garb. Various activities and crafts kept them busy.
At the Etz Chaim booth, children were encouraged to express themselves through paint. Rockwern Academy handed out flowers for home gardens. At the Wall of Resilience booth, children decorated notes of strength and gratitude.
Friend of the Israelite, Lisa Cook of CJX, was spotted promoting MOMentum trips to Israel for busy mothers and PJ Library was also represented.
The Israeli Air Force booth was particularly popular. Near the back of the event, young children gathered around a flight simulator game, testing their fighter jet skills.
Families also took advantage of the photo booth. A green screen could magically place families in Eretz Israel, among clusters of Israeli flags or even in a bowl of hummus.
At the center of the event children were decorating kites for Kites of Peace, an annual festival held at Kibbutz Kfar Aza where, on Oct 7, Aviv Kutz was killed just as the festival was set to begin.
Adjacent to the Kites of Peace area was the Wings of Hope installation. Children offered their used plastic toys to be attached to the giant wings to symbolize values of creativity and communal belonging. Livnat Kutz, husband of Aviv Kutz, created the first Wings of Hope installation in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. When completed, these wings will be stationed outside the gym at the JCC.
This event rounded out the JCC’s celebration of the ‘Yoms’ — holidays central to Israel’s resilience and endurance.
