Yom HaAtzmaut

A Party Of Blue And White

Akiva celebrates Israeli Independence Day.

Shelli Liebman Dorfman
Senior Writer

W

hat's blue and white and fun
all over? At Yeshivat Akiva in
Southfield on April 29, the
answer was the annual Yom HaAtzmaut
— Israeli Independence Day festivities.

Rachel Albert of Southfield and her son,

Celebrating Israel's 61st birthday
— having been declared an independent
state in 1948 — the communitywide
indoor-outdoor party brought the crowd
into nearly every area of the school.
Outside, kids bounced on a moon-
walk and, inside, they created projects of
sugar candy and tiny Israeli flags. Guests

Liz Frogel of Southfield with her children, Hannah, 4, Dovi, 2, and Liora, 7

Shimon, 3

Avraham Aron of Southfield with his children, Meshulam, 4, and Rut, 3

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May 7 3 2009

— many donned in blue and white —
enjoyed an Israeli dinner of falafel, pita,
hummus and salads and danced to enter-
tainment led by singer, Avy Schreiber.
A portion of the proceeds from the
event will be donated to the Meir Panim
food bank in Israel.
The celebration was kicked off with

a father-student basketball game with a
quiz bowl of Israel's history taking place
between quarters. For many, the highlight
of the game was a flag dance performed by
Akiva's seventh-, eighth- and ninth-grade
girls. For others, it was the knowledge that
the kids — from elementary to high school
age — clobbered the dads at basketball. —

Karline Puder of Southfield with her son,
Alexander Fischer, 10

Amitzur Nachshoni, 17, of West Bloomfield and his parents, Rabbi Meir and Anat
with Yehudit Amior, all of Southfield