Israel Center of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, Jewish Federation of Greater St. Paul, and more than 55 local organizations are hosting Israel Week through April 21
* Editor’s Note: The Israel @ 65 celebration on Sunday, April 21 has been moved to the Dairy Building at the State Fairgrounds because of weather concerns. Please allow additional time to enter the celebration due to security considerations. *
AJW Staff Report
The Israel Center of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation, the Jewish Federation of Greater St. Paul, and more than 55 organizations across the Twin Cities are presenting a week devoted to Israel. The AJW is a media sponsor of the events.
Israel Week kicked off on Sunday with ceremonies for Yom Hazikaron, the Israeli day of remembrance for fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. It will culminate on Sunday, April 21 with Yom Ha’atzmaut, the ultimate celebration of Israel.
This year, the Twin Cities will host a great Israel get-together in the Dairy Building at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, featuring kosher food on a “schtick,” handcrafted Israeli goods, music and family fun all day long. The night will end with a bass-thumping hip-hop performance by HaDag Nahash, one of Israel’s most popular bands.
This year’s Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration will once again feature an exhibit of local photography from the Jewish Lens program. A community-wide exhibit was displayed at Yom Ha’atzmaut in 2012 that was facilitated by EDGE (Enrichment, Development and Growth for Educators), a program of the Minneapolis Jewish Federation.
This year’s exhibit will showcase work from HMJDS, Mount Zion, the St. Paul JCC and Temple of Aaron. The photographs and insights of these participants will be presented in a digital format using a computerized presentation that can be viewed as a slide show. Materials regarding the program and curriculum will also be available for visitors to the TJL booth.
Founded by world-renowned photographer Zion Ozeri, the Jewish Lens guides the participants’ natural inclination to communicate through photography toward the examination of Jewish values, tradition, and content and the development of a personal relationship to it.
A schedule of the remaining Israel Week events is as follows:
• Israeli Zumba taught by Shira Schwartz, 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 17 at the Sabes JCC. Free; for information, visit: www.sabesjcc.org/club-group-exercise.php.
• Young Leadership presents Krav Maga for women ages 21to 40, 6 p.m. Thursday, April 18 at the Sabes JCC. For information, contact Shana Cohen at: scohen@mplsfed.org.
• Impress friends and family by cooking an authentic Israeli meal for Shabbat dinner on Friday, April 19. For recipes and resources, visit: israelweek.org.
• Brush up on your Hebrew before Sunday’s big celebration; for some phrases to get started, visit: israelweek.org.
• Twin Cities Yom Ha’atzmaut Celebration, 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday, April 21 in the Dairy Building at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds, 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul. Free admission, food will be available for purchase.
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For information on the events of Israel Week, visit www.israelweek.org, follow the Minneapolis Jewish Federation on Facebook: www.facebook.com/jewishminneapolis, or contact Evan Stern at: estern@mplsfed.org or Dan Mogelson at: dmogelson@stpaulfed.org.
(American Jewish World, 4.12.13)
