Milwaukee Jewry slates year of events
in celebration of Israel’s 60th birthday

By Leon Cohen
of The Chronicle staff

“Is a land born in one day?” wondered a Jewish prophet. “Is a nation brought forth at once?” (Isaiah 66:8)

Israel certainly was not. The modern Jewish state, the third such entity created in the Land of Israel, turns 60 this year on Iyar 5 (May 10); and that will be the occasion to heed the prophet’s call to “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad with her, all who love her” (Isaiah 66:10).

Milwaukeean Betty Chrustowski and about 50 other community members are seeking to help the community follow that exhortation through the coming months. “It’s going to be a fun year,” Chrustowski told The Chronicle.

Chrustowski is the chair of the Israel@60 committee, sponsored by the Milwaukee Jewish Federation and including members from “a broad range” of the community, she said during an interview last week. They include people from many different community agencies and religious organizations, she said.

And they are planning to hold “a year-long celebration of Israel’s 60th birthday,” that will “bring Israel to the Jewish and general communities in a very positive light,” Chrustowski said.

“We want to show off the beauty, culture, economic advances, technological and medical advances” and “talk about the wonderful things the country has done,” she continued.

The Israel@60 committee has several events scheduled, and others are still being planned, Chrustowski said. Those scheduled at present are:

• “Kaleidoscope of Israel” — billed “An evening of Israeli food, fashion, wine, music and culture,” this event is slated for Wednesday, April 2, 7 p.m., at the Hide House, 2625 S. Greely St. It is being chaired by Jessie Freschl, one of the three Israel@60 committee co-chairs.

• The Yamim — Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day) and Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day) — will be marked in Milwaukee on May 7 and 8, respectively, under the direction of a committee chaired by Yonatan Zvi, with Debra and Moshe Katz as honorary chairs.

These events will include a Yom HaZikaron ceremony at 6:15 p.m., chaired by Adina Altshull and sponsored by The Academy (Hillel); and a Yom HaAtzmaut celebration chaired by Yonit and Guy Lerner beginning at 4 p.m. and including a 6:30 p.m. concert by Habima (Israeli National Theater) star Dganit Daddo and composer-producer-pianist Yuval Keidar.

All these events will take place at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center.

• “Walk the Land” — Unlike previous years, the annual Walk for Israel will not take place during the Yom HaAtzmaut festivities.
Instead, on Sunday, June 1, Milwaukee will join “thousands of other communities around the world” in an international “Walk the Land” for Israel, Chrustowski said.

The local plans call for the walk to begin at the JCC at 2 p.m., and for the walkers to be able to stop at various points that will illustrate aspects of or locations in Israel. Upon returning to the JCC, participants will be able to view “an interactive exhibit” about Israel, Chrustowski said.

This event is chaired by Gregory Devorkin, Andrea Florsheim and Jeffrey Schuster.

• Israel Scouts Friendship Caravan — In honor of the 60th birthday, the annual performance of this touring group will be held at the Bayshore Town Center in Glendale on Wednesday, July 23. Admission is free.

• Community Mission to Israel — The culmination of the celebration will be a “most wonderful mission” to Israel that is scheduled for Feb. 17-25, 2009, and is chaired by Dorothy and Merton Rotter.

In addition to these and other committee-planned or connected events, many area synagogues and agencies are planning or already have held events associated with celebrating Israel’s 60th birthday. Some of these coming up will include:

• An Israel Awareness Series sponsored by the federation’s Women’s Division, scheduled for March 17, April 2 and April 7.

• Showings of two classic Israeli films at the JCC on April 6 and May 18.

• A presentation by Robert Schwartz of the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest on Sunday, May 4, 4 p.m., at Beth Hillel Temple in Kenosha. Admission is free.

• An “Israel at 60 Concert” featuring Israeli entertainer Gadi Alon and Israel-born Cantor Mordechai Fuchs on Sunday, June 22, 7 p.m., at Beth El Ner Tamid Synagogue. Admission is $15 per person.

For more information about Israel@60 events, contact Judi Ketten, 414-390-5709 or judik@milwaukeejewish.org.