For Israel Under the Stars, 1,500 will march in Boca

By Dale M. King
CITY EDITOR

This year’s “Israel Under the Stars” event Wednesday will have a special meeting this year.

South County will celebrate with even more intense solidarity, remembrance, honor and rejoicing as the community observes Israel’s 60th anniversary of statehood.

At 6 p.m. Wednesday, 5,000 people showing the diversity of the local Jewish community are again expected to gather for “Israel Under the Stars,” a yearly free community-wide event at Mizner Park Amphitheater. It is sponsored by the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.

“It is so important for the Jewish community to come together to celebrate and show once again that South Palm Beach County stands in solidarity with Israel,“ said Federation Chair Stewart Harris.
“Israel Under the Stars is a remarkably inspiring and enjoyable opportunity to observe Israel Independence Day outdoors in downtown Boca Raton - with thousands of neighbors, from strollers to seniors.”

This year, he said, “20 banners from local synagogues and Jewish organizations will decorate the amphitheater. And now in its second year, the parade on campus the following day has added another Yom Ha’Atzmaut community tradition.”

In addition, on Thursday at 9 a.m., 1,500 local Jewish Day School students from Donna Klein Jewish Academy, Hillel Day School of Boca Raton, Solomon Schechter of Palm Beach, Torah Academy and Weinbaum Yeshiva High School – ranging from kindergarten to 12th graders, and their teachers, will – for the second year - parade around the Federation’s campus following a brief rally with school cheers for Israel on the soccer field.

Hundreds of parents, Federation and agency staff, preschoolers, and residents of the three apartment buildings for the elderly and disabled on the Federation campus will line the route. The parade will be followed by grade-level activities.

Two musical groups from Israel will perform at the Mizner Park Amphitheater Wednesday evening -- TzofeiTel Aviv, Israel’s premier teen ensemble and the David Glukh Klezmer Ensemble, featuring traditional music plus worldwide klezmer "fusions."

Before the festivities at Mizner begin with a “Daglanut” Israeli flag routine by 5th grade students from Hillel Day School of Boca Raton and a combined choir of local Jewish day school and synagogue students, a ceremony led by IDF war veteran Cantor Efraim Sapir of Temple Emeth in Delray Beach will honor Israel’s fallen soldiers and local war veterans from 1948 through more recent conflicts.

“We are commemorating 60 years of statehood amid so many momentous achievements,” said Harris. “Yet, we must not forget that the people of Sderot and the Western Negev are under rocket attacks every day, and that many of our brothers and sisters in Israel and overseas need our continued support for their daily sustenance.”  

Two college students from Sderot, Israel, will speak about the current situation in Israel. The Federation is also hosting a backstage reception for local high school and college students to meet and eat falafel with the Israel Scouts and students from Sderot during the festivities Wednesday night.

"Israel Under the Stars" is again made possible by its Honorary Chair Commissioner Burt Aaronson, through the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Assistance Program.

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