Atlanta Celebrates Yom HaAtzmaut

Above: The Epstein School’s choir, accompanied by guitar and by Joshua Sampson on violin, performed Israeli songs for the consulate’s reception at the High Museum. 

Jewish Atlanta found ways throughout the day Thursday, May 12, to celebrate Israel’s 68th birthday on Yom HaAtzmaut (Israeli Independence Day).

The observances began Wednesday night with a J Street discussion at Ahavath Achim Synagogue on the political realities behind peace prospects (news story, Page 9; editorial, Page 10) and a concert by local Jewish band Paz at Israeli-owned coffee shop Crema in Dunwoody.

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The festivities picked up Thursday morning with Jewish National Fund’s 13th annual Jack Hirsch Memorial Breakfast at The Temple, which honored Lt. Col. Tiran Attia, the director of Special in Uniform. The program, which became a JNF beneficiary in 2015, integrates special needs Israelis into the Israel Defense Forces. Attia also appeared at a JNF women’s lunch at Congregation B’nai Torah.

As the workday ended, people had two opportunities to eat, sing and dance in DeKalb County: at the Marcus Jewish Community Center-sponsored Food Truck Thursday at Brook Run Park in Dunwoody and at the Young Israel of Toco Hills-led celebration at Mason Mill Park in Atlanta.

The culmination of the extended birthday party was the Israeli Consulate’s invitation-only reception at the High Museum of Art in Midtown.