300 young adults celebrate Simchat Torah!

For 2 hours every month, The Cellar closes its doors to the public and hosts an exclusive event for anyone Jewish and single, ages 21-40. The night, called Second Saturday, is known as the “longest running party for the young Jewish community in San Francisco” and is all about us – the young Jewish community in the Bay Area.

On October 10, over 300 young adults gathered at The Cellar to celebrate Simchat Torah and happiness in an unforgettable production called SIMCHA! which brought a taste of Israel to the Jewish young adult community in a fresh and exciting way.

The Israeli-themed SIMCHA! party drew over 300 young adults.

The festivities included Israeli snacks, Israeli video art, a raffle for a $100 dinner at Boulevard restaurant, and two amazing DJs – Second Saturday’s great house D.J. Josh Abrams, and Israeli D.J. Moshe Bonen from Maydalleh, who came straight from New York and brilliantly spun Hebrew music.

Part of the proceeds from the evening is being donated to the LGBT youth center in Tel Aviv. The special evening was a joint effort with Tzavta, the Israel Center’s young adult division, supported by the Helen Diller Family Foundation.

For more Tzavta programming information contact Lital at litalc@sfjcf.org or 415.512.6425.

Tel Aviv from Sand to Rock

For the past week, the Israel Center and the band YaRock have been on tour, bringing remixed Tel Aviv music to the Bay Area.  Their program, consisting of classics from by Naomi Shemer and Shlomo Artzi, as well as modern hits from bands like HaDag Nahash, has received a warm welcome and dancing crowds.

The “Tel Aviv from Sand to Rock” tour has one final stop, a FREE concert at Stanford.  All are welcome to attend.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009 – 7:30 pm
Stanford University
Dinkelspiel Auditorium – map
www.israelinthebay.org/sandtorock.htm

Happy Hour with HaDag Nahash

The Israel Center Young Adult division – Tzavta organized a special event for their members – a happy hour – pre-Shabbat Services – meeting with the Hadag Nahash band members. 30 local Yong Adults and 7 band members schmoozed, noshed Medireranian food and talked music and Israeli culture; then rushed to Services at Temple Emanu El.

The next evening, Hadag Nahash performed at the Ruby Sky, more than 400 people came.

Hadag Nahash is Israel’s leading hip hop band and has been topping the Israeli music charts since 2000. The band plays a unique style of music that blends Hip Hop, Funk, Jazz, Electronic and Rock with a touch of Middle Eastern flavor. This great musical fusion has garnered Hadag Nahash a large fan-base in Israel and abroad. Tracks from their recent album were also showcased on the big screen in Adam Sandler’s most recent movie, ‘Don’t Mess With The Zohan’.

100 JCF blog posts & 100 years for Tel Aviv

The city the New York Times named the “Capital of Mediterranean Cool” is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. In April 1909, on a sand dune outside of Jaffa, a group of people founded a small neighborhood that would later become the center of Hebrew culture, and Israel’s economic, business, academic and entertainment capital. In the next series of blog posts we’ll tell you more about Tel Aviv and encourage you to pay this wonderful city a visit.

This year the Israel Center brings Tel Aviv to the Bay area! Art exhibits, rock and jazz concerts, evening cabarets, authors, film series, lectures and more… For details and updates, check the Israel Center’s website.

Last Sunday marked the launching of the year-long festivities with the screening of Jellyfish (Meduzot) by Etagr Keret.  Kanbar Hall at the JCCSF was packed with an enthusiastic crowd of 350 Tzavta, The Hub and the Jewish Film Festival members. When asked about Tel Aviv, Etgar replied that for him, in Tel Aviv, as in San Francisco, there is a sense of cultural and social diversity. Orthodox and Secular Jews, Arabs and other foreigners all share this urban space with mutual respect.

We have more to share about Tel Aviv in future posts, but will sign off here with a few words from Mayor Gavin Newson speaking at the port of Tel Aviv in his recent visit to lsrael.