Thousands turn out to celebrate Tel Aviv's centennial at Central Park 'beach'

June 22, 2009

The impressive roster of Israeli musicians included radio personality and DJ Hadar Marks, reggae band Hatikva 6, and rock band Flow. Tel Aviv-Yafo Mayor Ron Huldai said that the celebration offered New Yorkers an opportunity to become acquainted with a "cool" city that they would probably never visit.

"Since many New Yorkers may not be able to make it to Tel Aviv in person, we decided to bring the city's beach to them," Huldai said. "Tel Aviv and New York have a lot in common - the main similarity being that they are both cool places."

Rounding out the scene was a group of bikini-clad anti-war protesters from the women's group Code Pink, who shouted out anti-Israel slogans and waved placards bearing the slogan "Say no to Israeli war crimes." Channel 2 reported that the protesters rubbed mud on their bodies to symbolize Israel's treatment of the Palestinians.

The Tel Aviv Beach Party was a joint venture of the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consulate General of Israel in New York, Israel Ministry of Tourism, Israel Government Tourist Office in New York and the Tel Aviv-Yafo Centennial Administration.

Following the event, all 30 tons of sand from the beach party will be donated to children's playgrounds in New York.