Sunday, May 18, 11 am–5 pm, Simon Family JCC
What does an updated Israel Fest at the Simon Family JCC look and feel like? Find out when the JCC comes alive under tents displaying Israel’s technological innovations and foods unrivaled by former festivals.
Paul Terkeltaub traveled to Israel on a men’s mission led by Steve and Art Sandler several years ago. “I saw how technologically innovative the country had become, visiting companies such as OrCam, an Israeli start-up that has developed a camera-based system intended to give the visually impaired the ability to both ‘read’ easily and move freely,” he says. “I came away with memories of a totally modern Tel Aviv, not ones of a 1950’s country in the desert.”
When Terkeltaub’s wife, Marcy, was asked to be the Festival chair, he suggested updating the event.
Among the products at Israel Fest will be designs from such companies as Babysense’s Infant Movement Monitor, which uses highly sensitive motion detector technology to detect a baby’s smallest movements to prevent sudden infant death syndrome, a water purifying system, and glasses for sight-impaired individuals.
This year’s Israel Fest also has an expanded food component, “a virtual food extravaganza,” says Marcy Terkeltaub. Every area temple, as well as Beth Sholom Village is preparing a menu of delectables, from Israeli couscous to Shawarma, kugel, falafel, and more. Visitors can purchase food to eat at the festival or for “to go.”
Favorites of Israel Fest that will return include camel rides, educational and carnival games, inflatables, arts and crafts and goods sold by vendors, and an Israeli band.
This is the Simon Family JCC’s biggest party of the year. “We’ve had about 1,000 to 1,200 people come in the past few years, but this year we are aiming for 1,500,” says Marcy Terkeltaub. “I’m thinking of this year’s theme as ‘Israel makes IT happen, The IT can stand for information technology, but also suggests that this forward moving country can and will shape the world’s future.”
The Simon Family JCC’s Israel Fest is part of the Celebrate Israel series, presented by Charles Barker Automotive. For a complete listing of events and sponsors of Celebrate Israel, visit SimonFamilyJCC.org/CelebrateIsrael.
The Simon Family JCC is a constituent agency of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
by Leslie Shroyer