A child holding an Israeli flag || Monica Sager Rabbi Ragozin speaking to the congregation || Monica Sager The choir || Monica Sager The children’s choir || Monica Sager 
Flags were handed out || Monica Sager Rabbi Ragozin holding an Israeli flag || Monica Sager The Shuk Music Group. || Monica Sager Children dancing to the music . || Monica Sager The band performing . || Monica Sager Eli Sontz with the children . || Monica Sager Children sang . || Monica Sager The congregation was full. || Monica Sager Adults dancing . || Monica Sager
The North Shore came together Sunday for Israeli music and dancing at Congregation Shirat Hayam.
Yom Ha’atzmaut is Israel’s Independence Day celebration, commemorating the Israeli Declaration of Independence on May 14, 1948. This year, the holiday fell on the evening of Tuesday, April 21 through Wednesday, April 22. Yom Ha’atzmaut is often memorialized with ceremonies, music, barbecues and other festivities.
“We’re here because this means something special to all of us. It symbolizes something special, a little bit different for each and every one of us,” said Rabbi Michael Ragozin. “For me, it symbolizes the realization of a dream that took 2,000 years.”
The North Shore Youth Choir opened the show. The choir was originally founded 18 years ago and reformed for this year’s celebrations, according to Ragozin. The children performed Hatikvah, which is Israel’s National Anthem. The almost 25 children were from Shirat Hayam, the Epstein Hillel School as well as Temple Emanu-El.
Aaron Zev Katz, of the Epstein Hillel School, played on piano, as Eli Sontz was on guitar.
The Shuk Music Group brought a joyful, high-energy concert. The internationally-renowned Jewish and Israeli ensemble played saxophone, keyboard, drums and bass. They went through a variety of well-known and newer songs for the audience, who often got up to dance and clap along.
“The news can sometimes be filled with negative things and hard things to deal with and to have this opportunity to come together and to celebrate Israel and our community and our hope for the future is really just a blessing,” said Jennifer Lederman, the president of the board of directors for the Jewish Community Center of the North Shore, which was also a host for the event.
