Yom Yerushalayim was a few weeks ago, but Jerusalem is still talking about the amazing JICNY Friday night meal that celebrated Yom Yerushalayim and brought together hundreds.
Read this review:
Yom Yerushalyim Dinner Recap & Guest Feedback
JICNY Israel put on a first-of-its kind large-scale Yom Yerushalayim Shabbat dinner, May 11th, 2018 at the First Station Jerusalem. The evening started at 17:00 pm with a pre-Shabbat concert with a live band, followed by a festive Carlebach rooftop davening. After davening, 400 guests joined together for a delicious catered dinner, flowing with wine and liquors. The evening ended with a HUGE bang with a Grand Dessert Oneg. Mayoral Candidate Ofer Berkovitch, of Hitorerut, was the featured guest speaker with opening remarks by Dan Illouz, Member of Jerusalem’s City Council (read more about Ofer & Hitorerut’s mission here). The event was extremely well organized by the JICNY staff & volunteer team, and the dinner was enjoyed by all! In addition, we had over 150+ people on the waiting list.
One of the magical moments of the dinner was the Kiddush. At the very moment when Kiddush began, people who were shopping and eating at the open restaurants on Shabbat, stopped in their tracks- and joined our group to say Kiddush. The silence was deafening- you could hear a pin drop. You could see and feel the desire of the people wanting to be part of a real Shabbat dinner. At that moment, over 500 people joined in- old, young, religious, secular, black, white- all said Kiddush together. It was a real Kiddush Hashem!
Jodi Samuels, Co-founder of the Jewish International Connection New York (JICNY) started the JICNY Israel movement in 2014. The main goal is to connect Olim & Israelis and to showcase the greatness and diversity that Jerusalem has to offer for Young Professionals. This dinner, represented by 7 continents, 37 International Countries and Israelis from cities all over Israel, proved that Jerusalem is the epi-center to host these exciting events and a COOL place for Young Professionals to be.
Our community co-sponsors include: JICNY Israel, Int’l Young Israel Movement (IYIM), Connect Jerusalem, Ginot Haier, Qualita French Olim, World Mizrahi Movement, Revital Events and First Station Jerusalem.
Here is some of the feedback we received from the dinner:
Hi Jodi
I was at the dinner friday night.
I would like to thank you it was great and very well organized.
יישר כוח
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Hi Jodi
Just wanted to say thanks so much for arranging an amazing evening on Shabbat night
Thought that is was an outstanding event
Kol hakavod to you and all the people that made it happen
Shavua tov and Chag Sameach
Best
Elliot
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Hi Jodi!
Sorry we didn’t get to meet in person last night. The event was awesome thanks so much for a great night
Thanks!
Hadar
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Dear Jodi,
Thank you so much for the amazing meal on Friday evening. People had such a good time, and I personally also had an amazing time! Everything was so well organised, the people were so interesting and from all over the place, and there was generally such a happy atmosphere:)
Yishar koach and yom yerushalayim sameah!
Lior
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Jodi!!!
Wow. What an amazing event. Thank you so much. Hashem should continue to give you the strength to continue bringing Jews from all different countries together.
Sara