Thousands to Celebrate Israel’s 61 Years of Independence Sunday, May 3rd in Van Nuys’ Woodley Park

VAN NUYS, Calif., May 1 /PRNewswire/ — Thousands will come together this Sunday, May 3rd for an uplifting community celebration of Israel’s 61st birthday at Van Nuys’ Woodley Park, the largest celebration of its kind outside of Israel. The Israel Independence Day Festival will feature a wide variety of family-friendly entertainment, including a crowd-pleasing sky-diving show.

A special salute to the Israeli city of Tel Aviv/ Yafo, this year celebrating its 100th birthday, is planned. Cafe Tel Aviv, a rest area designed with the authentic “look and feel” of a typical Tel Aviv street cafe is part of the celebration in addition to music, kosher food, exhibitor booths, dance and Israeli martial art performances, rides and a petting zoo.

The official ceremony will begin on the main stage at 1:30 pm upon the arrival of the LA County Sheriff’s Department Golden Stars Skydiving Team parachuting into the crowd. Also participating are City Councilmembers Jack Weiss and Wendy Greuel, Sheriff Lee Baca and many other elected officials. Jewish Federation President John Fishel will be presented with the “Cherished Friend of the Israeli Community of Los Angeles” Award.

“From the food to the performances, everything about the Festival is uniquely Israel,” said organizer Yoram Gutman of the Israel Independence Day Festival Committee, which produces the Festival. “As one of North America’s largest Jewish communities, this Festival represents our love for our Jewish homeland and a show of strength for her future. The party will be going from 10 in the morning until 7 in the evening, and we hope to see all of Los Angeles there on Sunday.”

Kids will enjoy the PJ Library Pajama-Jam on the children’s stage at 11 am, featuring Debi Derryberry, a popular children’s singer and the voice of Nickelodeon’s Jimmy Neutron. An opportunity to sign up for the PJ Library, which offers free Jewish-content books each month for children under the age of five who live in the Antelope, Conejo, San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Simi Valleys, will be at The Jewish Federation booth. Visitors to the Federation’s booth may be eligible for a chance to win a new iPod or a $100 gift certificate to Encino’s popular Aroma Cafe.

Sponsors of this year’s Festival include Birthright Israel, Department of Cultural Affairs, El Al Airlines, Israel Consul General of Los Angeles, The Jewish Federation, Jewlicious, Los Angeles Department of Parks & Recreation and Metro LA.

Festival-goers are asked to bring a can of non-perishable food for collection by SOVA Food Pantry. Cost of the Festival is $5 per person. Street parking is free. For more information on the Israel Independence Day Festival, please visit IsraelFestival.com.

SOURCE Israel Festival Committee