Hundreds of young families came to the Joseph & Wolf Lebovic Jewish Community Campus in Vaughan, Ont., on June 5 to celebrate Israel and Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day).
Organized by Na’amat Canada, the Israel Day Festival has been running annually for the past 21 years, featuring, live music and performances, shopping, food, an auction and more.
Entertainment included appearances by Spiderman and Disney princesses Elsa and Anna of Frozen fame, a performance by music duo Sonshine and Broccoli and a fashion show.
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This year’s event coincided with Yom Yerushalayim, which commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli control over the Old City following the Six Day War in 1967.
“Israel Day offers the entire community the opportunity to explore the rich and fascinating culture of the Jewish People. What a wonderful occasion it is for people of all ages to share in this special celebration and salute Israel for all its accomplishments in the past 68 years,” said Orit Tobe, the event chair.
Some of the dignitaries who addressed the gathering included Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua, B’nai Brith Canada CEO Michael Mostyn, Thornhill MPP Gila Martow, Deputy Consul General of Israel in Toronto Irit Stopper, Thornhill MP Peter Kent and York Centre MPP Monte Kwinter.
Bevilacqua said he was happy to be part of a day that celebrates what is special about the state of Israel.
“I’ve had the occasion of visiting Israel a number of times, and I’m in awe of what’s been accomplished in that area of the world,” he said.
Kent referred to the fact that the United Nations General Assembly continues to deny that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.
“I know all of you in this room dream of the day the international community will recognize Jerusalem of the capital of Israel.”
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Mostyn spoke about the significance of celebrating Jerusalem “as the eternal capital of Israel, never to be divided again.
“After 1967, with no more Jordanian occupation, it is finally, once again, a free city for all religions and all faiths to express themselves, and only under Israeli rule has that happened,” Mostyn said.