05/01/2026
1,600 Celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut with Singing, Dancing and More
Anna Pohl, Julia Pankhurst and Kaye Vander of Cleveland Heights-based Pickup-Stix Stilt Walking perform at the entrance of B’nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike on April 22 for the Jewish Federation of Cleveland’s Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration. CJN Photo / Jimmy Oswald
Article reprinted with permission from Cleveland Jewish News
by Jimmy Oswald
Attendees donned blue-and-white clothing, wore beaded necklaces, sported headbands with a pair of Israeli flags waving from the top and had their cheeks dabbled with face paint as they celebrated Israel’s 78th Independence Day on April 22 at B’nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike.
Organized by the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, over 1,600 members of the community gathered to mark Yom Ha’atzmaut and celebrate Israel’s resilience, spirit and independence while strengthening their connection to their fellow Jewish people and to Israel.
Brad Coven, Yom Ha’atzmaut co-chair, thanked the various organizations who were on hand to help the event run smoothly during his opening remarks.
“And we cannot do any of this important work in Cleveland, Israel and around the world without our generous donors, who give to the annual campaign for Jewish needs,” he said. “And a big thank you to B’nai Jeshurun Congregation for hosting this in their beautiful building.”
Fellow co-chairs Sara Coven and Allyson and Andrew Goldstein also spoke at the start of the event, giving thanks to those who came out and encouraging everyone to enjoy the festivities.
“We are so honored to have you here today for the 78th celebration of Israel’s independence,” Sara Coven said as attendees cheered.
A dance floor invited people to enjoy dancing and Israeli music, played by Israband, a New York City-based cover band performing the country’s top hits in Hebrew. Flag dances were presented by students from Fuchs Mizrachi School in Beachwood, the Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School in Beachwood and Gross Schechter Day School in Pepper Pike; and Nomie Bental, the executive director of Ketzev Cleveland Israeli Dance, a community program that offers young professionals the chance to take part in Israeli dances of all kinds and skill levels, also performed with dancers to kick off the event.
The community shinshinim and shlichim joined the crowd in singing “Hatikvah,” Israel’s national anthem, during the opening ceremony.
Rabbi Hal Rudin-Luria, Senior Rabbi at B’nai Jeshurun Congregation, led a prayer for Israel.
Booths were set up for children to have their faces painted, make flower crowns and flags, paint, construct crafts at the PJ Library station, and play an “I Spy” adventure around the building. Blake Bailey, a magician from Wickliffe-based Flower Entertainment, Inc., also roamed around performing tricks.
In honor of Earth Day, families could plant a flower and take it home, and a station was set up for attendees to explore various Israeli herbs and spices. A shuk, or Israeli market, featuring merchandise from Israel’s border communities was also part of the festivities.
Mendel’s Kosher BBQ in Shaker Heights offered food for purchase and Federation employees operated a gazoz, an Israeli homemade soda station.
Adults could choose between a short film screening, wine tasting and leather workshop while teens had a dedicated space for themselves that was set up in collaboration with local shinshinim and BBYO that featured games and activities.
