Thirty-five years ago, Joni Mitchell sang, “And we’ve got to get ourselves back in the garden.”
Looks like we made it.
After a home-run event last year in SBC Park, the “Israel in the Gardens” festival returns to San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens on Sunday, June 5, for a day of fun and community celebration.
The stated purpose of the event is to mark Israel’s 57th birthday, but 10,000-plus Jews don’t need an excuse to party, which is what the event always ends up being.
On that score, this year is no different. The party atmosphere will be in full flower. What is different: more activities, booths, entertainment and community involvement. A lot more.
“For the first time ever, we are collaborating with three other federations,” says Caron Tabb, event director. “We have Sacramento, East Bay and Silicon Valley federations joining [the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation] in an areawide show of unity. We reached out to the four corners and got everyone to rally behind Israel.”
Why go back to Yerba Buena after last year’s romp on the Giants’ infield?
“Last year we missed the intimacy of Yerba Buena,” notes Tabb. “The ballpark felt very spread out and it was way more expensive. We had to roll over costs to attendees and we charged a minimal fee. This year, admission is free.”
That’s good news for fans of the annual mega-simcha, now going on its third decade. “Israel in the Gardens” is one of those events where the phrase “something for everyone” truly applies.
Among the marquee highlights this year, a fashion show comprised of all-Israeli designers.
“Jewish community figures will be models,” says Tabb. “This is not only to showcase Israeli fashion, but to get the community jazzed about it. It’s cool, hip, different, colorful and very creative, and it really is about Israel.”
Featured designers from Israel’s booming fashion industry include Segal Dekel and Ronen Chen.
Also on tap, the second annual Israel in our Hearts Community Awards ceremony which will honor nine local leaders who have contributed much to stronger ties between Israel and the Bay Area.
Says awards committee head Barbara Farber, “We were looking for people who have been instrumental in bringing Israel to the Bay Area community. Over a lifetime, this has been a big part of who they are. They do the hands-on work.”
For the young kids, Tabb promises a huge play area, with puppet shows, crafts, and best of all a storytelling site set up on top of a gigantic map of Israel. Local storyteller Joel ben Izzy will team up with Israeli actor/playwright Doron Nesher to spin amazing tales from the Promised Land.
For not-so-young kids, Tabb and staff put together what she calls “a youth consortium … the teens’ hip stuff like Israeli marital arts and belly dancing. We’re putting them in a connected but secluded area so they can have their own thing.”
Their thing, and everyone’s thing, usually includes the main-stage music. This year’s headliner is Mashina, a popular Israeli band that blends Ashkenazi and Sephardic strains with rock ‘n’ roll. Their appearance at “Israel in the Gardens” will be the first stop on their upcoming U.S. tour.
If rock isn’t your thing, maybe a 200-voice youth choir singing Israeli songs will do. Students from Jewish day schools throughout the Bay Area have been rehearsing for weeks, all working on the same program independently. Popular local singer Fran Avni is coordinating the choir.
Something else new this year is a greater effort to bring in the Bay Area’s Russian and native Israeli communities. Along those lines, advertising and signage for the event is tri-lingual, and the food court will boast Russian fare in addition to the Israeli favorite, falafel.
Then there’s the Israeli film festival, the after-party for young adults (last year’s brought out hundreds), and aisles of Israeli products for sale, all of which aid Israel’s economy. Buy a T-shirt, help the Jews.
Add it all up and “Israel in the Gardens” should be as big a hit as ever.
“It makes people proud,” says Tabb. “It’s a wonderful feeling to see 10- to 12,000 people celebrating Israel together.”