The Israeli-American Council said 27 events in 21 communities were taking place from April 23 to May 3.
Tens of thousands of people gathered in cities across the United States over the weekend for Israeli-American Council Celebrate Israel festivals marking Israel’s 78th Independence Day, the organization said Sunday.
The events, which began April 23 and are set to continue through May 3, include 27 gatherings in 21 communities, among them New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Boston, Atlanta, Houston, Las Vegas, San Diego, Seattle, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and several communities in New Jersey and Florida.
The festivals were organized as a coast-to-coast display of support for Israel and were designed to connect Israeli-American and Jewish communities through Israeli culture, music, food, dance, children’s activities, arts and crafts, flag parades, and performances by Israeli artists and dance troupes.
In Woodland Hills, California, dancers performed before nearly 3,000 people, while around 1,000 people attended a New York City event on the Upper East Side, where actors portraying Theodor Herzl, Golda Meir, and David Ben-Gurion mingled with participants, according to the IAC. More than 1,000 people also attended a Celebrate Israel event in Las Vegas.
“At this historic and pivotal time, the Israeli-American and American-Jewish community, together with our friends and allies, are turning out in droves to show their pride and love for Israel and to celebrate the incredible success story of the Jewish State on its 78th Independence Day,” said Elan S. Carr, IAC CEO and former US special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism.
Carr said the events carried added significance amid ongoing security threats facing Israel.
IAC: 'More reason to celebrate Israel now'
“We have all the more reason to celebrate now: Despite the challenges and security threats, Israel is a global model of strength and excellence, and the US-Israel alliance has never been better. Am Yisrael Chai (the people of Israel live),” he said.
The IAC said the Celebrate Israel events were intended to strengthen Israeli and Jewish identity among younger generations and reinforce ties between the United States and Israel.