UWS Brightens Up for IAC Shabbos/Purim Celebration
Written by JV Staff
Created: March 22, 2017
Last Motzai Shabbos / Purim night, hundreds of New Yorkers gathered at B’nai Jeshurun for a special Israeli-American Council (IAC) Shishi Israeli program, which brings together Israeli-American and Jewish-American families of all ages and backgrounds to celebrate their shared culture and heritage.
Last Motzai Shabbos / Purim night, hundreds of New Yorkers gathered at B’nai Jeshurun for a special Israeli-American Council (IAC) Shishi Israeli program, which brings together Israeli-American and Jewish-American families of all ages and backgrounds to celebrate their shared culture and heritage.
The popular program was celebrated from coast-to-coast over the weekend, with four IAC regions— Nevada, Arizona, Florida and New York—hosting Shishi on the same weekend, building a Jewish communal experience that bridges historical and geographical gaps across the American Jewish landscape.
“IAC Shishi Israeli has become a national movement of its own,” IAC CEO Shoham Nicolet said. “It is inspiring to watch the program growing so quickly, bridging together thousands of Israeli and Jewish Americans of all backgrounds around their passion to celebrate Shabbat in an Israeli style. It looks like a new tradition is forming organically.”
In New York, the welcoming environment provided families and individuals the opportunity to unite around a Shabbat table through a love of Jewish and Israeli culture, community building, family time and traditional ritual—and to dress up, paint, sing and celebrate Purim.
“My family missed the national spirit of Shabbat in Israel, which begins on Yom Shishi—Friday,” said Yael Shapira, an Israeli-American. “Now, we again have family and friends coming together to welcome the Shabbat, with good food and the classic Israeli sing-along. It creates a unique home away from home.”
“It has been inspiring to be part of this program’s development and rapid growth–and to witness how an Israeli-style Shabbat can powerfully connect and engage Jews of all backgrounds, ages, and levels of observance,” said Yehudit Feinstein, IAC Regional Director in New York. “IAC Shishi Israeli is bringing families and communities closer together around the magic of Shabbat in new and exciting ways across the country.”
For more information about the Israeli-American Council, please visit www.israeliamerican.org
