PICTURES: Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations around the world

PICTURES: Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations around the world

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We asked all the Shavei Israel emissaries to the communities we support around the world to share with us pictures of their Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day) celebrations. How did we mark Israel’s 68^th birthday this year? Here’s a visual tour:

India

Over 200 hundred Bnei Menashe descended on Shavei Israel’s Beit Shalom center in Churachandpur, Manipur for Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations. The Israeli flag was raised, Hatikva was sung, and then the Shining Star Kids put on a special dance based on the theme of Israel’s national anthem. Following a prayer for the State of Israel and its soldiers and a speech by Shavei Fellow to the Bnei Menashe Aharon Vaiphei on the topics of the “Zionism, the Declaration of Independence and the Land of Israel,” everyone sang Kathang’e Kathang’e – the Bnei Menashe’s traditional song of longing for Israel – before wishing one another L’shana Haba B’Yerushalayim – Next Year in Jerusalem.

Here’s a selection of pictures from Manipur.

And here are a few from the neighboring Indian state of Mizoram.

Meanwhile, in Erode, members of the Zion Torah Center received a special gift for Yom Ha’atzmaut: 200 new siddurim (prayer books) courtesy of Shavei Israel. The siddurim were originally printed for the Bnei Menashe living in Mizoram and are in Hebrew with English transliteration, making them fully usable by the Erode community. A ceremony was held where community members received their prayer books. Here are some pictures, most with community leader Samuel Devasahayam.

Colombia

There were flags aplenty as Colombia’s Bnei Anousim met in Bogota to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut. A festive meal, prayers, classes and song rounded out the celebration.

Portugal

The bima of the synagogue in Belmonte was draped with an Israeli flag – at once jubilant and defiant after the brutal Inquisition half a millennia ago. We have a few photos sent by our emissary to Belmonte, Rabbi Elisha Salas.

Poland

In Krakow, Rabbi Avi Baumol tells us that he led an “emotional and moving” ceremony for Yom HaZikaron – Memorial Day (which is held 24 hours prior to Israel Independence Day) – “for 70 mostly non-Jews in Poland but some ‘Hidden’ Jews as well. We lit candles and spoke about the sacrifice we make for the Jewish homeland. We read the harrowing yet heroic story of Dafna Meir as an example of terror. We asked Roy, an Israeli former solider, to light candles in her memory and we sang Hatikva [the Israeli national anthem] together.”

El Salvador

What’s more Israeli than a pita stuffed with falafel and humus? How about a homemade pita cooked up on a grill at San Salvador’s Beit Israel Bnei Anousim community? Or posing with the Israeli flag. We have pictures of it all. Plus a candle lighting ceremony. (Hmm…that doesn’t look like 68 candles to us.)