Thousands of Israel’s friends party at Mission Bay

SAN DIEGO  — To celebrate Israel’s 64th anniversary as an independent state, the Jewish community and its friends held a festival at Ski Beach of Mission Bay, featuring information booths, entertainment, kosher food, and lots of good old fashioned shmoozing.  San Diego Jewish World editor Donald H. Harrison, there with his camera, shares some of the sights he saw.

Israel Dancing at April 29 Yom Ha’atzma’ut Festival

 

Ilent Tatro, left, and Melanie Rubin, repsectively representing the Center for Jewish Culture and the Lawrence Famnily JCC, show off some art by Shosh Segev of Kibbutz Kfar Aza in the Sha’ar Hanegev partnership region of Israel

 

Nina Brodsky tries her luck on a prize wheel operated by National Council of Synagogue Youth. She won a large button seen in foreground

 

Line forms at Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School booth for Star of Davids twisted by Shahar Masori of Balloon Utopia

 

Rabbi Moishe Leider of Chabad of University City

 

Donna Winnick selling honey from RFB Family Farm enjoys accordionist Shalom Sherman who can play anything, including “A Taste of Honey”

 

Touring IDF soldiers were among the singers at the Yom Ha’Atzma’ut festival.

 

Members of Belly Button Circus entertain a crowd celebrating Israeli independence

 

Gary Zarnow of the Kahal Am Humanistic Jewish Community shows type of medallion visitors could fashion at his booth
Ladies of Jewish Family Service who told of its many services were from left Naomi Rabkin, Melinda Wilkes, Debra Stern-Ellis, Elizabeth Marshall and Carole Yellen

 

Rabbi David Kornberg demonstrates a bean bag toss at Congregation Beth Am’s booth

 

Miriam Norten and Debbi Kempinski display the official shirt of the Yom Ha’atzma’ut festival

 

Zach Ross’s Israeli flag wardrobe is admired by Danielle Butbell, center, and Gabz Lieberman