After a summer of war in the Middle East, the S.F.-based Consulate General of Israel organized a moment of joy with a San Francisco flash mob.
More than 50 people showed up Oct. 26 at the Golden Gate Bridge Pavilion to join in an “impromptu” music-and-dance salute to Israel, set to the Matisyahu song “Sunshine.” Professional videographers filmed everything and edited it, and the resulting video is posted on YouTube (www.bit.ly/israel-flash-mob).
Organizers dubbed the event “The Bay Area Loves Israel.”
“The idea was to pop up somewhere in a very iconic San Francisco spot and start dancing,” said Eyal Naor, deputy consul general for the Pacific Northwest. “The idea was to engage with the community, bring together young people and the young at heart.”
Work on the project began two months ago, getting the word out to local institutions, including synagogues and Jewish schools such as Brandeis Hillel and the Jewish Community High School of the Bay. A professional choreographer created the dance moves, which were learned via a tutorial video. Participants also attended several rehearsals.
Now Naor hopes the resulting three-minute video, which was posted Nov. 7, will go viral.
“We want to spread the good vibes on YouTube and Facebook,” he said. “We want to send a message that the Bay loves Israel.” — dan pine