As Israeli music blared loudly throughout the Bender Jewish Community Center in Rockville, about 1,000 people celebrated Israel’s 77th birthday on Sunday.
“It’s really about the community coming together,” explained Marcie Blackman, director of arts and adult programming at the Bender JCC.
This is the third year the JCC has celebrated Israel’s Independence Day in this fashion.
“This year was a little easier,” Blackman said.
Still, the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, hostage taking and subsequent war continue to remain in everyone’s thoughts. An Oct. 7 Commemoration Room featured photographs of the hostages. Observers were asked to take a sticky note and share their feelings.
Some of the responses included, “losing people; rebuilding, growth, sadness” and “want to make an impact.”
Another room, sponsored by the Shalom Education Center, which offers classes at the JCC for Russian-speaking Jews, asked participants to put a red pin on a world map where they or their ancestors lived.
“It shows that we are from different places, but we are all here in Maryland to celebrate the independence of Israel,” said Natalia Nesterova, the school’s director.
The three-hour event featured activities for young children, an escape room for teens, Shouk Square and history timelines — and, of course, food.
Children created mosaic art and clay pottery pieces and also had their hair braided and face painted. There were inflatable bounce houses to jump in and balloon art to collect.
In one room, children decorated wooden butterflies for Ariel Bibas, the four-year-old hostage who was murdered.
In Israel, the Hebrew name of a spotted orange butterfly was changed to honor the boy. The Orange Jerusalem Butterfly was renamed Orange Ariel.
“Through color, we keep his spirit alive,” said Maya Ezra, Makom’s shlicha. “Oct. 7 hit me personally. I know people who died,” she said, explaining why she ran the butterfly-making room.
Shavim, an inclusive soccer program, showed off their dribbling and other skills. Still other events featured cheesecake making, Israeli dance with Markid Mike, games of Bingo in Hebrew and Ethiopian friendship bracelet making.
A timeline, beginning with the birth of Abraham and running through to the current decade, was displayed down a long hallway. More timelines featured the Israeli prime ministers and famous Israelis and their accomplishments. Yet another timeline listed the many times Israelis traveled throughout the world to help in disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires and tsunamis.
The timelines were created by Makom.
Hanita, a preschool teacher at the JCC, was thrilled to discover that she had a lot in common with Natalie Portman, who portrayed Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy. They both were born in Israel in the same year.
Hanita, of Rockville, lived on a kibbutz until she was three years old and said Jews need to learn their history and “not just the Holocaust.”
As many munched on pizza, falafel, watermelon and other treats, they ambled through the shouk, checking out the artwork and food.
More than 700 people preregistered for Sunday’s event, “and we have quite a few walk-ins,” said Blackman.
“It’s always a special thing,” declared Brandon Chiat, the JCC’s chief marketing officer. “We just try to celebrate Israel and bring together the community for a good time. It’s good to be together in community.”
Partners and vendors included the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, Washington Jewish Week, Israel American Council, St. Coletta of Greater Washington, Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, Jewish Community Relations Council, BBYO, Makom, Chabad of Rockville, Proaction Physical Therapy, Potomac Soccer and many more.
Food was provided by Ben Yehuda Pizza, Oh Mama Grill, Sunflower Bakery and others.
Suzanne Pollak is a freelance writer.
