Several projects and events are to take place in the United States in the coming weeks. Here, we highlight three of them.
On Sunday, April 6, 2003, the 52nd Annual Israel Folk Dance Festival and Festival of the Arts will be held at the Martin Luther King, Jr., High School in New York City. The Festival is sponsored by the Israeli Dance Institute in partnership with Jewish National Fund and co-sponsored by Bnai Zion. The event will feature Israeli vendors of Judaica and crafts, as well as an audience participatory fashion show, activity booths and hands-on activities for children, Israeli food, community dancing and singing and live music by popular Israeli duo Amir & Ron. There will also be an Israel Folk Dance performance with over 250 dancers and singers of all ages from across the United States, representing national youth movements, day schools, universities and community centers. Highlights include special guest performances by Middle Eastern percussionist Raquy Danziger and Israeli vocalist Michal Cohen.
“This year's festival is dedicated to the memory of the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, z.l., who was the child of Holocaust survivors and who embraced his homeland and heritage as he heralded the future, personifying the theme of this year's festival: Od Nirkod, Od Nashira, Od Nagia - we continue to dance and to sing as we share our hopes for the future,” says Bob Levine, who has served as Israel Folk Dance Festival Chair and Master of Ceremonies for the last eight years and was performer in the first Israeli Dance Festival 52 years ago. “As part of Jewish Heritage NY 2003, this festival is an exuberant celebration that will reflect the rich culture of Jewish diversity in Israel and America....” Levine said.
Another Jewish National Fund joint project will hit a number of major supermarket chains across the United States this Passover season. The shelves will be stocked with Passover matzah from the Israeli company Osem, enabling consumers to support Israel's economy through the joint JNF-Osem USA program, called “Matzah With a Mitzvah”.
The mitzvah part of the project is that for every five boxes of Osem matzah products bought by consumers, Osem will make a donation to the JNF to plant a tree in Israel. Osem will also be advertising the JNF's tree planting program, as well as the other important environmental work that the JNF does in Israel, on all Passover and matzah product boxes. “The Jewish people are looking for ways to support Israel,” said Izzet Ozdogan, President of Osem, “This is a great way to do it - with one purchase you are helping Israel's economy, fulfilling the obligations of Passover, and planting trees in Israel. Three mitzvot for the price of one!”
Major supermarkets chains carrying Osem matzah and other Passover products include A&P (NY/NJ), Shoprite (NY/NJ), Food Emporium (NY/NJ), Kings (NY/NJ), Pathmark (NY/NJ), Waldbaum's (NY/NJ), Wegman's (NY/NJ), Giant (DC/MD/PA), Superfresh (DC/MD), Acme (Phil/Southern NJ), Albertson's (FL, CA), Ralph's (CA), Jewel (Chicago), Publix (FL, Southeast), Fred Meyer (WA/OR), QFC (WA/OR), Smith's (AZ/NV/UT), Price Chopper (NY), Kroger (TX), H.E.B. (TX), and Kroger (Southeast).
And, finally, beginning Sunday, April 6 through April 13, fifteen American universities will be hosting “Israel Week” - a week-long celebration of Israel. The Round Table Forum, reports the Jewish Agency, an umbrella group of Jewish and Israeli campus groups, initiated the event, which will present Israel’s achievements in various fields: culture, economics, high tech, medicine, science, sports, archaeology, environment, etc. In addition, a representative of the New England Aliyah Office will be on hand to provide information on absorption programs in Israel. The closing event will be combined with an Israel Independence Day party, in which 500 students are expected to participate. On Thursday, April 3, the Boston area Sephardic community jointly sponsored a pre-Israel Week opening event. The 15 participating campuses include Boston University, the University of Connecticut, Babson College, Clark University, Northeastern University, Brown, Harvard, Tufts, and MIT.
On Sunday, April 6, 2003, the 52nd Annual Israel Folk Dance Festival and Festival of the Arts will be held at the Martin Luther King, Jr., High School in New York City. The Festival is sponsored by the Israeli Dance Institute in partnership with Jewish National Fund and co-sponsored by Bnai Zion. The event will feature Israeli vendors of Judaica and crafts, as well as an audience participatory fashion show, activity booths and hands-on activities for children, Israeli food, community dancing and singing and live music by popular Israeli duo Amir & Ron. There will also be an Israel Folk Dance performance with over 250 dancers and singers of all ages from across the United States, representing national youth movements, day schools, universities and community centers. Highlights include special guest performances by Middle Eastern percussionist Raquy Danziger and Israeli vocalist Michal Cohen.
“This year's festival is dedicated to the memory of the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, z.l., who was the child of Holocaust survivors and who embraced his homeland and heritage as he heralded the future, personifying the theme of this year's festival: Od Nirkod, Od Nashira, Od Nagia - we continue to dance and to sing as we share our hopes for the future,” says Bob Levine, who has served as Israel Folk Dance Festival Chair and Master of Ceremonies for the last eight years and was performer in the first Israeli Dance Festival 52 years ago. “As part of Jewish Heritage NY 2003, this festival is an exuberant celebration that will reflect the rich culture of Jewish diversity in Israel and America....” Levine said.
Another Jewish National Fund joint project will hit a number of major supermarket chains across the United States this Passover season. The shelves will be stocked with Passover matzah from the Israeli company Osem, enabling consumers to support Israel's economy through the joint JNF-Osem USA program, called “Matzah With a Mitzvah”.
The mitzvah part of the project is that for every five boxes of Osem matzah products bought by consumers, Osem will make a donation to the JNF to plant a tree in Israel. Osem will also be advertising the JNF's tree planting program, as well as the other important environmental work that the JNF does in Israel, on all Passover and matzah product boxes. “The Jewish people are looking for ways to support Israel,” said Izzet Ozdogan, President of Osem, “This is a great way to do it - with one purchase you are helping Israel's economy, fulfilling the obligations of Passover, and planting trees in Israel. Three mitzvot for the price of one!”
Major supermarkets chains carrying Osem matzah and other Passover products include A&P (NY/NJ), Shoprite (NY/NJ), Food Emporium (NY/NJ), Kings (NY/NJ), Pathmark (NY/NJ), Waldbaum's (NY/NJ), Wegman's (NY/NJ), Giant (DC/MD/PA), Superfresh (DC/MD), Acme (Phil/Southern NJ), Albertson's (FL, CA), Ralph's (CA), Jewel (Chicago), Publix (FL, Southeast), Fred Meyer (WA/OR), QFC (WA/OR), Smith's (AZ/NV/UT), Price Chopper (NY), Kroger (TX), H.E.B. (TX), and Kroger (Southeast).
And, finally, beginning Sunday, April 6 through April 13, fifteen American universities will be hosting “Israel Week” - a week-long celebration of Israel. The Round Table Forum, reports the Jewish Agency, an umbrella group of Jewish and Israeli campus groups, initiated the event, which will present Israel’s achievements in various fields: culture, economics, high tech, medicine, science, sports, archaeology, environment, etc. In addition, a representative of the New England Aliyah Office will be on hand to provide information on absorption programs in Israel. The closing event will be combined with an Israel Independence Day party, in which 500 students are expected to participate. On Thursday, April 3, the Boston area Sephardic community jointly sponsored a pre-Israel Week opening event. The 15 participating campuses include Boston University, the University of Connecticut, Babson College, Clark University, Northeastern University, Brown, Harvard, Tufts, and MIT.