Yerba Buena Gardens
Sunday, June 4, 2006
11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

(May 26, 2006, San Francisco, CA) — Israel in the Gardens, the single largest annual celebration of Israel Independence Day in the Bay Area, will be held this year on Sunday, June 4 from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. A celebration that has taken place annually for over 30 years in San Francisco, Israel in the Gardens expresses the connection of Bay Area Jews with Israel, solidarity with its people, and the central role Israel plays in the region’s Jewish identity. In recent years this event has attracted approximately 13,000 attendees. It is a day for people of all ages — adults, children, teens, college students, young adults and seniors — to join together and celebrate.

Featured this year will be two stages of music and theatre, famed Israeli singer/songwriter Rami Kleinstein, acclaimed actor Yossi Vassa and his one-man show, Israeli percussionist Chen Zimbalista, Israeli playwright Robbie Greengras, a film festival, a runway fashion show, fun activities for kids of all ages, traditional Israeli and Middle-Eastern food and drinks and a marketplace filled with Israeli-made products.   

Entertainment

Two stages of Israeli’s top musicians, actors and dancers perform throughout the day.

Main Stage:

• Israeli folk dancing
• Chen Zimbalista - Marimba and percussion showman
• Glide Memorial Church ensemble
• Israeli singers and a sing-along
• Singer/songwriter Rami Kleinstein with special guest Shiri Maimon

Be’chol Lashon Stage:

• Songs, skits and scenes in a tribute to Israeli playwright Hanoch Levin
• Vladimir Friedman, Stand-up comedy
• Yossi Vassa, Ethiopian-Israeli actor
• Vanessa Hidary, Spoken word artist
• Playwright/actors Robbie Greengras and Adam Mader
• Rachel Factor, One-woman show

Activities

Fun, creative and educational activities will keep kids entertained all day with storytelling, music and arts and crafts:

• As a nod to the recent Winter Games, hundreds of Bay Area students will take part in “The Peace Olympics: Run, Jump and Skip for Peace.” Participants have been in training for this event, so cheer them on as they compete.
• At the “Playing for Peace” competition, 64 adults and teens will face off over sheshbesh (backgammon) tables to win big prizes and raise money to build playgrounds in Israel.
• Kids will also be able to color and sign their names on a giant white Dove of Peace, creating peace flags, and trying their “hand” at creating hamsot. (need to define this – noone will know what it is).
• Create African/Jewish ­be’samim – spice boxes. Use a variety of African, West Indian, and European spices to create a potpourri sachet or a spice box.
• Create Latino/Jewish art ­ paper cuts and flowers – called papel picado in Spanish and shavuoslech in Yiddish –  to replicate the colorful cut paper flowers, plants and other designs that have been used as holiday decorations in Jewish homes in Mexico, Europe and North Africa for centuries. Make your own bright tissue paper creations.    
• Asian/Jewish art block printing. In the Torah, the Jewish holiday of Shavuot is celebrated as the Festival of the First Fruits of the Spring harvest. Asian cultures also have traditionally celebrated the first harvest of the year.  Come make beautiful drawings or block prints of typical harvest fruits and vegetables from China and Israel.

Fashion

A runway fashion show featuring elegantly styled and urban-chic clothing from many of Israel’s cutting-edge designers, including Alembika (Hagara), Tovale’s, Kedem Sason, Ella Gonen, Sigal Dekel, Yael Orgad and Ramilee (Maternity).The showcased men and woman’s fashions will further illustrate Israel’s authentic flavor. Models are prominent and not-so-prominent Jewish community members of all ages.

Israel in Motion Film Festival

Being held in the Action Theatre at the Metreon, the Israel in Motion Film Festival will run from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and will show the best of Israel’s recent short movies, including drama, satire, comedy, animation and student films. 

Shop and Eat

Israeli merchandise will be out in abundance! From fashion to jewelry, food to footwear, handbags to Judaica and much more, Israeli-made products from the very best local and international vendors will be sold throughout the day. Traditional Israeli and Middle Eastern food and beverages will be featured throughout the day. Yes, falafel will be in the house!

Dance, Dance, Dance

As the sun goes down, things will start heating up at Ruby Skye, 420 Mason Street, San Francisco. Dance the night away to thumping Israeli and World music beats at the ever-popular Tzavta after-party, courtesy of the Federation’s Israel Center’s Young Adults program. Over 1,000 young adults came out for this special event last year. The dance floor officially opens at 6:00 p.m.

Israel in our Hearts Community Awards

Once again members of our community will be recognized for their extraordinary commitment to Israel and their efforts in strengthening Israel-Bay Area relations. This year’s recipients are a diverse group of volunteers and professionals who have each made a substantial impact on American support for Israel.
Please see the enclosed “Community Awards” press release for details on the 2006 Community Awards recipients.

Israel in the Gardens is presented by the Israel Center of the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, the Peninsula, Marin and Sonoma Counties, in collaboration with the Consulate General of Israel. For more information go to www.israelinthegardens.com.

The Jewish Community Federation is the central organization for fundraising, planning, outreach and leadership development for Jewish communities in San Francisco, the Peninsula and Marin and Sonoma counties. In FY 2004-05, the Federation’s annual campaign allocated $16.9 million to some 60 agencies providing social services, educational and cultural programs in the Bay Area, in the U.S., Israel and elsewhere in the world. In fiscal year 2005, the Federation’s Endowment Fund, with assets exceeding $1.05 billion, provided more than $215 million for a variety of grants, seed projects and emergency needs. For more information, call 415.777.0411 or visit www.sfjcf.org.