Celebrate Israel and Canada

May 2017

at the Jewish Community Centre

JCC Festival Ha’Rikud 2017: Celebrating Friendship
May 2017
Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver
950 West 41st Avenue

Vancouver, B.C., April 2017 – During the month of May, the Jewish Community Centre will celebrate Israeli culture in its Canadian context in honor of Canada’s 150th birthday. The 14th annual JCC Festival Ha’Rikud will pay tribute to one of the fundamental building blocks of our community: Friendship. Friendship incorporates support, protection, and moral guidance. The festival will explore these themes on three levels: between individuals, within the larger local community, and between the two countries our festival connects – Canada and Israel.

We invite the entire community for a month of cultural exchange with an Art Exhibit, Music, Dance Workshops, Dance Performances, History, Food, and Fun for the whole family.

The Festival’s main event will take place on Sunday, May 14th 12:00-4:00 p.m., when the JCC parking lot will transform into a Community Fair. It will offer fun and free activities for all ages, including Israeli Dance, live music, bouncy castles, art projects, a Hebrew used book exchange, and a food marketplace. Inside the JCC art gallery, The Jewish Museum and Archives of BC will present the the 150-year history of Jewish People of BC, and rich traditions of Jewish cuisine. Visitors will also enjoy a fashion show by designer Yifat Jovani. A garage sale of children’s clothes and toys will support MAMATEFET, a volunteer-run project that aids new Israeli moms. In the Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre 200 youth dancers from BC and Miami will perform in two Israeli Dance shows, and an exhilarating CHUTZPAH!PLUS Premiere. Festival Ha’Rikud Sponsors are The Government of Canada, The City of Vancouver, The Diamond Foundation, The Phyllis and Irving Snider Foundation, and Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver.

Festival Ha’Rikud related events:
– May 1st-14th: Exhibition: The Ties That Bind
The exhibit will be set at the JCC atrium and will chart the 150-year history of the Jewish People in BC, courtesy of the Jewish Museum & Archives of BC.
– Thursday May 4th: Festival Ha’Rikud Art Exhibition Opening
The festival will be accompanied by a group art exhibit of various mediums, which will highlight the theme of friendship and togetherness, opening on.
– Friday, May 12th: Community Shabbat Dinner:
The JCC invites the community to join Festival Ha’Rikud performers for a Shabbat Dinner and Israeli dancing.
– Saturday May 13th-Sunday May 14th: Israeli Dance Workshop
The Vancouver Israeli Folkdance Society (VIFS) will offer a two-day Israeli Dance workshop for adults: BeLev Echad (With One Heart) offers formal instruction and open recreational dance for all ages and dance abilities, led this year by the dynamic and energetic Israeli teacher Yaron Carmel.
– Saturday May 13th-Sunday May 14th: Contemporary Dance Performance CHUTZPAH!PLUS will present the Canadian Premiere of Birds Sing A Pretty Song. This exhilarating performance, choreographed by Rebecca Margolick and co-created and directed with Maxx Berkowitz, seamlessly fuses dance, live music and interactive media. The two dancers, Rebecca Margolick and Chuck Wilt, will offer a dance workshop for Festival Ha’Rikud performing groups, sponsored by Chutzpah!.

For more information about the Festival and to purchase tickets, please visit our website: www.onlyatthej.com/festival For questions please contact Festival Ha’Rikud coordinator: 604-257-5111 Ext 242; rikud@jccgv.bc.ca

About JCC Orr Vancouver Israeli Dance School
JCC Orr Vancouver has been successfully running Israeli Dance programs around the Lower Mainland for over 10 years, providing a sense of community for all dancers in a creative, fun and welcoming environment. Orr Vancouver, in Hebrew, means “the light of Vancouver.” We see our Israeli dance programs as such: bringing the light and spirit of Israeli culture to Vancouver and beyond.

About JCC
The Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver is a non-profit organization that has served the Jewish and Oakridge community for more than 65 years. A full cultural and recreation facility the JCC serves its members and the community at large with cutting edge arts, culture, sports and wellness programs.