Israel 66 Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations kicked off yesterday in New York, bringing thousands of Jews from across the city together at The JCC in Manhattan to celebrate Israel’s Independence Day. Events will culminate in a community-wide celebration on Tuesday, May 6th.

Over the course of the festivities, “The UWS (Upper West Side) Celebrates Israel,” which are free and open to the public, New Yorkers will celebrate the rich and complex culture, history, and people of Israel. The events are convened by The JCC in Manhattan in collaboration with and funded by UJA-Federation of New York, which provides about $30 million to projects in Israel annually. UJA-Federation is also sponsoring several special Israel 66 events in Brooklyn.

For a full list of the events taking place, please visit: www.jccmanhattan.org/uwsisrael.