Hundreds turn out for grand finale 

Federation closes out year of events with fair to honor Israel's 60th birthday

By Sarah Morrison

October 24, 2008
 

The Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County held its last of five events celebrating Israel's 60th birthday on Oct. 12. The event, an Israel fair at Monroe Township High School with speakers, live music, Israeli food, and a shuk (open air market) with different local vendors, was the culmination of a year full of celebration in honor of Israel's birthday.

Ann Gold, co-chair of the event and a co-chair of the Monroe Township Inter-Community Council, the volunteer wing of the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County, addressed the crowd at the beginning of the event.

"Who are 'we'?" Gold began. "The Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County is the local organization that helps support counseling and kosher meals-on-wheels for seniors at Jewish Family Services in Concordia Shopping Plaza. It helps ingrain Jewish heritage into your children and grandchildren in Hebrew day schools and Hillel. It helps your relatives and friends gain new jobs and new skills at Jewish Family and Vocational Services. And, of course, the federation helps our needy brothers and sisters in Israel and throughout the Diaspora," she said.

"We are federation volunteers from these communities who have joined together as the Monroe Township Inter-Community Council to bring all of us together for fun, for learning, and for good. And today is a happy example of achieving all three goals," she added.

The keynote speaker at the event was Benjamin Krasna, the deputy consul general of Israel's Consulate General in New York. His speech offered positive words about Israel's first 60 years.

"When we celebrate our 60th birthday, we're not just celebrating what we achieved, but look forward," Krasna said. "We don't say to go to 120, because we have much, much greater goals and expectations. We can only imagine what the next 60 years have to bring."

During his speech, Krasna addressed issues with Iran and thanked those in the audience for all their efforts for turning Israel "in such a short time to become the world leader that it has become by lobbying, donating, and home efforts."

"Israel's not getting older, it's getting much, much better," Krasna said.

Krasna's speech was followed by a lively performance by Cantor Bruce Rockman and the Sons of Tikvah Band. The performance of traditional Israeli tunes brought the auditorium to its feet and literally inspired participants to dance in the aisles. Rabbi Benjamin Levy from the Monroe Township Jewish Center joined the band to sing "Yerushalayim Shel Zahav" (Jeruasalem of Gold).

Rhoda Juskow, co-coordinator of the event, was extremely pleased with the turnout -- 550 tickets sold -- and the reactions she saw as people left the event.

"The secret of success to any function is when anyone walks out smiling," Juskow said. "Everybody has a great time."

As to why the federation held five events in honor of Israel's 60th, Juskow couldn't say enough.

"We wanted all the excitement in the entire year," Juskow said. "We found that there are so man different kinds of events that people can have that people can enjoy just in the celebration of Israel's 60th. This is the 'grand finale,' the wind-down event of the year. It was well attended with a lot of happy people. It's very exciting and we're grateful that we have the high school to have these events in."