Pictured Above: A display set up by the Sephardic Community Center for Israel's 70th birthday.

This passed Wednesday, April 18, was Yom Hazikaron which is the remembrance day for all of the fallen IDF soldiers and victims of terror. The following day was Yom Ha’atzmaut, also known as Israel’s independence day. In honor of these reflective, joyous, and significant days, the Sephardic Community Center of Brooklyn, NY planned a large event and invited the entire Jewish community to join in the celebration. 

This highly anticipated night came and went with a bang. Over 1,000 community members flocked to the Center to join in the festivities. This year marks the 70th anniversary of Israel becoming an independent state. Before this happened, the Jewish nation had no official place to call home. This is definitely a victory worth celebrating!

Children performing for the large audience at Wednesday's event.

Many of our community’s prominent schools and organizations came together to enable this event to take place which made the celebration all the more special. The event was free admission and sponsored by the Center, the Deal Sephardic Network (DSN), Magen David Yeshiva, Hillel Yeshiva, the Ashkenazi family, iLead, the Sabra Institute, and several other organizations. 

A display of photos to commemorate Israel's 70th birthday.

A special Yom Hazikaron ceremony was performed by several community cantors to the large audience. Victor Dweck produced a video about a few of the members of our community who served in the IDF and it was played for all in attendance to enjoy. Flatbush Yeshivah sent over a Holocaust display for this night of remembrance as well. There was also a great photo exhibit donated by the Aboudi family who received them as gifts from the Palmach Museum in Tel Aviv. In addition to those special photos, pictures of community members who served in the IDF were also displayed. Barki Yeshiva also participated, performing a festive flag tribute to the state of Israel.

A speaker at Wednesday's event.

The Keynote Speaker was Tal Tomer from the Israeli Defence Force. He spoke about his experiences in the force and why he does what he does. The speech was well received by the audience that was very interested in what the soldier had to share. The lucky attendees also had the pleasure of hearing the Magen David Yeshiva choir perform. The boys got some great applauses from the audience and added to the overall festive spirit of the night. There were surprise video greetings from popular community members and even some famous individuals. It was truly a night of togetherness, good vibes, and, needless to say, it was a huge success. The Center’s slogan is ‘great things happen here’ and this event is just another example of how true that is.

The audience enjoying the festivities at Wednesday's event.

The Center kept the Israel appreciation theme going through their many events and programs this month. From an Israeli Innovation event that took place on April 10, children’s after school programs that were Israel-themed, and the Women’s Culture Club took a trip into Manhattan to see an exhibit on the High Line which featured Israeli artists. 

To see more photos from this event, follow the Center on Instagram @thecenterscc and to donate, head to scclive.org.

Frieda Schweky

Frieda@sephardic.org

Frieda Schweky is Sephardic.Org's official community events reporter. For inquiries and to get involved with our site, please contact Frieda via email.