Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., May 14, 2008 Iyyar 9, 5768 | | Israel Time: 05:01 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

New York's upscale Fifth Avenue (Reuters) Last update - 09:48 23/04/2008 Independence Day campaign: Israeli faces on Fifth Avenue By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Derrick Sharp, Fifth Avenue  An Israeli who visits New York's Fifth Avenue next month will encounter more than a few familiar faces, and bigger than life: 10 Israelis, including basketball player Derrick Sharp and "A Star is Born" finalist Sasha Grishkov, will appear on giant banners along Fifth Avenue. Israel's Consulate General in New York launched the promotion as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations, which includes the annual Salute to Israel parade along Fifth Avenue on June 1. Entitled "Faces of Israel," the campaign is designed to present the diversity of Israeli society to the American public. Advertisement "The goal is to introduce Israelis as they are, without media filters or prejudice," explained Consul General Assaf (Asi) Shariv. Well-known and less-familiar figures will be depicted in the campaign, and each is supposed to represent a sector of Israeli society. The most familiar face is that of Derrick Sharp, captain of the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball team and a former member of Israel's national team. Born in Florida, Sharp immigrated to Israel in 1993 to play for the second-league Maccabi Hadera team. He married an Israeli a few years later and became a citizen, which made him eligible to be drafted to the national all-star roster. Another participant in the campaign is Dao Rochvarger-Wong, who was born in Vietnam and came to Israel in a refugee boat in the 1970s. Then-prime minister Menachem Begin agreed to absorb the refugees and grant all of them Israeli citizenship. Rochvarger-Wong now represents Bank Hapoalim in Singapore. "A Star is Born," the Israeli television version of "American Idol," will be represented in the campaign by former contender Sasha Grishkov, who immigrated to Israel from the Soviet Union as a little girl, and Cabra Kasai, an Ethiopian who immigrated with her family in the "Operation Moses" rescue mission in 1984. Kasai is now a member of the Idan Reichel Project, the musical fusion of electronics, traditional Hebrew texts, and Ethiopian songs. "Millions of people will walk along Fifth Avenue during May and be exposed to these portraits, which show the incredible diversity of Israeli society," said Shariv. "It is a society in many ways similar to that of New York - a fascinating combination of immigrants who have come together to create one multi-faceted society. This is the Israeli story." Other participants in the campaign include Rania Jubran, an Arab diplomat in the Foreign Ministry; Mirit Greenberg, winner of the 1997 Miss Israel competition; and violinist Miri Ben-Ari, who won a Grammy Award in 2005. In addition to the 10 Israelis who have already been chosen to appear on banners, the consulate intends to choose another 50 among those whose stories will be published on the www.60israelis.com Internet site. Related articles: Barbra Streisand pulls out of Israel 60th anniversary jubilee The Swinging 60? Bookmark to del.icio.us   A few good celebs Some of Hollywood's top guns congratulate Israel in a clip played in Times Square. Chosen, shmosen 'Religion is an incarnation of the most childish superstitions,' wrote Albert Einstein.   1.   Unbelievable arrogance 05:32  |  jc 23/04/08   2.   jc and his crap # 1 06:13  |  Fortuna Benmayor 23/04/08   3.   PROPAGANDA 06:41  |  *BEN JABO 23/04/08   4.   How many Arab Israelis Will be Chosen? 06:49  |  David James Vickery 23/04/08   5.   Hey another idea.... 06:51  |  David James Vickery 23/04/08   6.   Great idea ! 08:26  |  Maya 23/04/08   7.   Hey "jc" if you don`t like us why do you read our newspapers?? 09:00  |  Jew 23/04/08   8.   Israelis less likely to pull out at the last minute 09:53  |  Chanalau, Tova 23/04/08   9.   #8 tova the bad chips in with more horse manure 10:27  |  victor hardman 23/04/08   10.   To Jew # 7 - `jc` and the jews...... 10:54  |  Dolly 23/04/08   11.   #4 - Arab Israelis 12:35  |  Slibovitz 23/04/08   12.   how about a huge banner of IDF beating old people at checkpoints? 14:19  |  fed-up-with-lies 23/04/08   13.   a HUGE banner of a buldozzer 14:21  |  fed-up-with-lies 23/04/08   14.   Good luck to Rania, happy b-day Israel 23:41  |  Rami 23/04/08   15.   to # 4: Looks like Rania is the only one 23:41  |  Rami 23/04/08   16.   How about a banner celebrating honor killings? 00:04  |  mammoud 24/04/08   17.   To David 00:14  |  Joshua 24/04/08   18.   Jew Haters Controlled By Their Obsession With Jews 00:25  |  Tex 24/04/08   19.   there should be more Arabs 01:32  |  Israeli 24/04/08   20.   To #15 - Rami - give them some time 02:20  |  Slibovitz 24/04/08   21.   #15 Rami 03:06  |  HS 24/04/08   22.   KILL ALL ARABS 04:17  |  MED 24/04/08   23.   jc should leave America to the Native Indians. 07:38  |  Palestineisamyth 24/04/08   24.   There is an Arab Israeli 10:28  |  G 24/04/08   25.   Moderator where are u ? 10:30  |  G 24/04/08   26.   to ben 20:46  |  mike 06/05/08   27.   Independece day-5th ave. 21:43  |  Joanne 13/05/08   28.   This is a good thing 04:28  |  Nechama 14/05/08

Read & React Ahmadinejad predicts Israel will be 'swept away' by Palestinians Responses: 171 Woman, 70, killed as Qassam strikes Negev home Responses: 332 Lebanese army says will use force from Tues. to stop fighting Responses: 91 Israel mulls moving Gaza crossings east to dodge rockets Responses: 234 Bush to Haaretz: PM is 'honest guy' and strategic thinker Responses: 92 More Headlines 02:40 Police quiz U.S. tycoon Sheldon Adelson as part of Olmert probe 04:33 Israel to transfer security in Jenin area to Palestinians 04:37 Defense officials: Egypt to open Rafah, cease-fire or not 02:41 Dennis Ross, Daniel Kurtzer slam Bush's Mideast policy 01:47 Video shows officer shooting protester with rubber bullet at close range 02:52 Tom Cruise, Ben Stiller wish Israel happy anniversary 04:55 Israeli, Jordanian architects plan peace park in Naharayim 03:15 MK Orlev wants to end former MK Bishara's retirement payments 22:27 Polish Pres.: Israeli youth should learn Poland not to blame for the Holocaust 04:31 Still no word from five Israelis after earthquake strikes China 03:00 Welfare Min. launches plan for savings accounts for every Israeli kid 03:16 Olmert: Understandings reached in talks with Palestinians Previous Editions Select Day 13 may 12 may 11 may 09 may 08 may 07 may 06 may 05 may 04 may 02 may 01 may 30 apr

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