CHERYL HARTON-HOTINSKY
PHOTOGRAPH SUPPLIED
Dancing on the field to the vibey music of the band, with all the activity tents in the background.
This year was no different as the Johannesburg schools in the YC fold celebrated this miraculous day through song, dance, learning and innovative educational experiences.
From grade R to grade 12, the school came together for davening with a special Hallel for Yom Ha’atzmaut. It was uplifting to hear the voices of around 1 000 learners sing out and dance in praise for the miracle that is the State of Israel.
After davening, each school ran their own programmes, including learning about the significance of the day. At 11:00 the school converged on the main field for an exciting fun and educational fair to learn about and celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut.
The field was surrounded by tents and gazebos, with different “stations”, showcasing and facilitating different elements of Israel. A live band made the vibe even more uplifting.
A “Letter to Soldiers” station enabled learners to write to soldiers in the IDF, while watching pre-recorded videos sent from YC graduates serving in the army, describing their experiences and what it means to get letters of support from all over the world.
The most popular tent was an “i-Pad Tribute to Israel” tent where learners used props and canvases depicting the landscapes of Israel to upload tributes to Israel on its birthday.
For the different age groups there were “Army Obstacle Courses” scattered throughout the field. The “Life in Israel” tent run by Shimon Shamilla (Israel Centre director) was also a hit.
We watched a live debate between Dani Kedar and Benji Shulman at the “Hasbara (Israel Advocacy)” tent, gaining a glimpse of how Israel is defended and showcased on university campuses across the world, where it has to be defended intellectually.
There were falafels available and the learners and teachers moved from station to station soaking up all the excitement that comes with learning about and celebrating Israel.
The event concluded with more dancing and we then proudly sang Hatikvah. Our learners then hopped on to buses and joined the community in celebrating at Gold Reef City.
