Lieberman Urges Support for Cookies for Israel

Jewish Atlanta’s bid for a Guinness world record takes place this Sunday, June 3, and international celebrities are supporting the effort to assemble some 100,000 blue and white cookies into a mosaic of the Israeli flag.

Sen. Joe Lieberman has joined Rabbi Jonathan Sacks in recording videos promoting Cookies for Israel.

The celebration of Israel’s 70th birthday will form a flag mosaic covering 3,000 square feet, smashing the world record for a cookie flag mosaic: a Pakistani flag of almost 2,500 square feet in 2017 to mark that country’s 70th birthday.

A Guinness World Records representative will be on hand during the flag mosaic’s assembly outside Congregation Beth Jacob at 1855 LaVista Road in Toco Hills to confirm the record Sunday. Rabbi Yitz Tendler, the executive director of Beth Jacob, who conceived the project, said the assembly will begin at 8 a.m., with the goal of establishing the record between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.

Cookies for Israel isn’t just about celebrating Israel and setting a record, however; it’s also a bid to raise $1 million for charitable causes in Israel. People are asked to be a part of the project by sponsoring cookies for $10 each at www.duvys.com/match/cookiesforisrael.

Jewish Agency for Israel Chairman Natan Sharansky has endorsed the project, saying: “The Cookies for Israel initiative sends a strong message of support for Israel from around the world and has the added benefit of raising funds for charities in Israel which do tremendous good. I encourage every supporter of Israel to join in participating in the project and setting a world record.”

The proceeds will be sent to three nonprofits: United Hatzalah, an emergency medical services agency composed of volunteers, including former Atlantan Arie Pelta; OneFamily Fund, which supports victims of terrorism; and the Jewish Agency’s Partnership2Gether program, which helps immigrant communities in the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta’s partnership region of Yokneam.

Donors are covering all the costs of Cookies for Israel, so every dollar donated will go to the Israeli nonprofits. As of Thursday morning, the total was just above $71,000.

Rabbi Tendler said the fundraising campaign likely will continue for a few weeks.