Yom HaAtzmaut

Come together in community to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day with family
and friends. Enjoy special exhibits and explore booths hosted by community
organizations. Learn more below.

Dinner will be sold through Jlive. Pre-Order your kosher meal
(https://jlive.app/events/11069)

**SPECIAL EXHIBITS**

**Wings of Hope**
Join us to help create a stunning piece of community art. The first Wings of
Hope installation was made in July 2023 by Livnat Kutz z”l and the members of
Kibbutz Kfar Aza in southern Israel.
The exhibit is a piece of artwork made from gently used plastic toys collected
by the community. These toys were assembled into wings on the wall of a
shelter in Kfar Aza, symbolizing the values of sustainability, creativity, and
a sense of optimistic community belonging—values that Livnat and her family
embodied. Tragically, they were brutally murdered in their home by Hamas
during the October 7 attack.
The project is being replicated throughout Israel and around the world,
commemorating Livnat’s deep dedication to community and resilience, ensuring
her memory lives on. The wings at the Mayerson JCC will serve as a gathering
place for creation, arts and crafts, and a testament to a connected community.
They will shine a light that reaches beyond the borders of the kibbutz and
Israel.

**Kites for Peace**
Through the Kites for Peace festival, we will honor the victims of violence in
Israel after October 7 and look forward to more peaceful days ahead. Join us
to create your own kite, which we will fly together as a community to send our
united hopes for peace into the sky and beyond.
History of Kites for Peace:
Kibbutz Kfar Aza, located in the Gaza envelope, has been holding an annual
_Afifonyada_ (kite festival) on the holiday of _Simchat Torah._ This 15-year
long tradition was initiated by Aviv and Livnat Kutz z”l, as a gesture and
message of peace to the people on the other side of the Gaza border. In Aviv’s
words, “They fly rockets at us, and we fly kites of peace at them.” October 7,
2023 was supposed to be the 15th time this beautiful tradition takes place in
Kibbutz Kfar Azza. Unfortunately, that did not happen. That day, the Kutz
family was brutally murdered in their home.
In honor of the Kutz’s family message of peace, we invite you to fly a kite or
hang one in your home and community spaces with a message. These messages will
be shared with the Kutz family and the community of Kfar Aza, honoring the
memory of those who were killed and joining them in their beautiful tradition
of calling for peace.

**The Family Workshop**
Sharon Hammer is the owner The Family Workshop in Kibbutz Carmia, the Jewish
Federation’s partnership community in the Gaza envelope, that creates handmade
lifestyle products with a focus on natural materials, including ceramic cups,
natural beeswax candles, and beautifully designed paper products. Visit their
shop during Yom HaAtzmaut, where you can bring high-quality and meticulously
handmade craftsmanship to your home.

**COMMUNITY FAIR BOOTHS**

**American Jewish Committee** | Swag & Conversations
**Beth Adam** | Collages about Israeli society
**Camp at the J **| Face Paint & Israeli flag craft
**Camp Livingston** | Jenga Game
**Chabad of Blue Ash** | Hebrew Names
**Congregation Etz Chaim** | Watercolor Activities
**Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center** | Photo Opportunity
**IDF Air Force **| Drones & VR
**JCC Inclusion **| Sensory Kits available to borrow
**Jewish Family Services** | Writing notes of strength, resilience, and gratitude for the Western Wall
**Jewish Fertility Foundation **| Flags representing personal and family
growth
**Jewish National Fund **| Bomb Shelter Discussion
**Kibbutz Carmia** | Products available for sale
**Photo Booth **|** Photo Opportunity**
**Rockwern Academy** | Decorating Planters

_Yamim Grants are part of the מתחברים | Mit-Habrim | CONNECTIONS funding initiative, a partnership between JCC Association of North America and the Israeli Government’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism._

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View event on Jlive: https://jlive.app/events/10322