After months of planning, “Israel in Our Hearts” will be held on Sunday, May 3 on the Playfield Lawn, a private space inside the San Francisco Zoo.
Sponsored by the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation, the three-hour family event will focus on celebrating Israel’s 67th birthday and showcasing the federation’s work in Israel. Tickets include an Israeli lunch of falafel, hummus and salad, all-day admission to the zoo, and plenty of activities and entertainment.
There will be live music, crafts, a puppet show and other kids’ activities, such as an area for playing gaga, a dodgeball-style game big in Israel. Also, Norman and Carole Traeger and Arthur Slepian will receive this year’s Israel in Our Hearts awards.
The Traegers have dedicated their philanthropic dollars and volunteer hours to strengthening the State of Israel. Slepian is the founder of A Wider Bridge, which seeks to foster ties between the LGBT communities in Israel and the Bay Area.
Israel in Our Hearts is a first-time event, following in the footsteps of the larger-scale Israel in the Gardens, an all-day free event that drew up-wards of 15,000 some years to San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens before being discontinued after 2013. Last year, the federation held a Yom HaAtzmaut celebration in honor of Israel’s 66th birthday at Justin Herman Plaza, drawing 750 people during lunchtime on a weekday.
Israel in Our Hearts will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with the zoo staying open until 5 p.m. Admission at the door will be $18 for adults, $12 for children 4 to 14. The Playfield Lawn is located within the zoo, near the entrance to the children’s zoo. For more information, visit www.jewishfed.org.
“Israel in Our Hearts: A Family Celebration,” 11 a.m.-2 p.m. May 3, at the Playfield Lawn of the S.F. Zoo. $12-$18. www.jewishfed.org