MLK Observance

Deb represented Israel at the Lee's Summit observance of Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday.  It was held again at the Pavilion at John Knox Village.  The other countries from the Ethnic Enrichment Commission were Bolivia, India, African-American, and Panama (also event organizers).

Belinder Elementary School event

Deb shared a little about Israel with about 400 elementary school students at Belinder Elementary in Prairie Village, including teaching them to dance to Nodaleti LaShalom.

Park University International Festival

Israel Spirit participated for the first time in Park University's International Festival, which is held in their Park Underground facility (part of Kansas City's extensive subterranean business space).  Deb was a little lost in the caves, but a nice person from Distance Education got her pointed in the right direction.  Israel had an information/craft table, and Deb told some "Chelm" stories as a performance.

Outreach at Hale-Cook School

Deb shared Israel with an afterschool program in Kansas City.  She showed a ppt presentation geared for 1-6 grades, brought coloring pages (of a bee with apples and honey), and taught them how to dance Nodalati Lashalom (נודלתי לשלום).  There were 25 students.

This is the space in the library where Deb showed the ppt and taught the dance.

Ethnic Enrichment Festival

We changed the booth format and the menu this year to accomodate our volunteers.  We dropped falafel from the menu and added malabi.  Our craft and passport area was much better and on the platform.  Attendance at the festival was a little more than last year, so it's more than 45,000 attendees!  Deb was interviewed on Fox4 on Friday morning and gave Matt Stewart a taste of the malabi and halvah during the spot.  BTW - he loved them.

The food prep half of the booth

Deb carried the flag this year in the Parade of Flags.  However, some time Saturday night our flag was stolen.  At least it was seen spotted flying proudly, but the Ethnic Enrichment Commission had to replace our large flag.