By Susie Davidson

Advocate Correspondent

If one were to select flawless weather, a large crowd, interesting, entertaining and varied exhibits, colorful scenery and above all, a full and vibrant sense of community, then this past Sunday’s Israel Independence Day Street Festival in Brookline would have perfectly fit the bill.

It was just that kind of event. From Prozdor’s Kol Rina Choir at noon to the New American Children’s and Adult Choir Tradition at 3:30, the jam-packed jamboree was enthusiastically attended and overwhelmingly embraced. Young and old thronged Harvard St. in the bright sunlight, bearing Mogen David-shaped balloons, painted faces, blue and white frisbees, falafel, ice cream, Kosher Chinese platters, fried dough, wide smiles and curious countenances.

The coordinating effort was assuredly monumental, as a tight, extraordinary program of all things Judaic lined the Haifa, Eilat, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem Quarters along Harvard Street. Russian musicians at the Café at Coolidge and Thorndike Streets, artisans (Ancient Ties, Bead-A-Kippah, the Mad Hatter, Moscow Food International and more) at the Shuk in the Captain’s Wharf parking lot, and Sidewalk Sam orchestrating a rainbow colored concrete montage near Beacon St. helped to transform the avenue into the most bustling of promenades for four plus hours.

Kids had a ball: with face painting, postcards to design and send to Israel, Tzedakah boxes, charms, jewelry and mezuzot to fashion, puzzles to solve, animals to gape at and clowns, puppets and songs to enjoy, there was nary a dull second. "We loved it!" raved Elana, Jared and Ari Goldstein of Andover. "We got frisbees, balloons, and Chinese food!" They rated the clowns and storytellers as top notch, as did Rina, Ilana and Liora Friedberg of Newton, three Rashi students who also volunteer at the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center. Jonathan (proudly sporting a necklace with his Hebrew name Yonathan) and Benjie Roth of Newton thought it was "really fun!", and enjoyed "everything!"

Michaela and Jakie Mellen of Canton were similarly aglow. "We went to Irving’s Toy Store too!" they beamed (local merchants were hopping as well). 6 year old Ben Tapper of Belmont added to the accolades, enthusing about the clown he saw and the peanuts he ate.

Slightly older kids also enjoyed themselves. "It was exciting to be part of such a network of Jewish organizations," said 25 year old Deborah Sheena of Allston, whose mother was running the ORT booth. Even so with far older kids like Abraham Warshavsky of Brookline, who brandished a camera and had misplaced his wife in his excitement over the offerings.

Sponsored by the JCC of Greater Boston, the CJP, Bureau of Jewish Education, Jewish Community Relations Council, Synagogue Council of Massachusetts, other Jewish groups and of course, the Town of Brookline, together with the Consulate General of Israel to New England, this annual gala was a combined fete accompli.

Thanks to contributors such as the Community Newspaper Company, Rentals Unlimited, ShalomBoston.com and Vista/Nesher Travel, sponsors including The Bay State Federal Savings Charitable Foundation and the Building 19 Foundation as well as many generous private donors, this was a festival the Jewish community could call its own as it freely shared in its joyful mood.

Sunday’s celebration was a wonderful, welcome respite from the troubled times of today; the unsettling, day-long Palestinian protest gathered across Beacon at Harvard attested to this. Thus, its main purpose, to display continued (and generate new) support for Israel, must not be overlooked. For the event to be a total success, participants will have hopefully gained a renewed and strengthened perspective on their community that extends far beyond Brookline, in a state where such celebrations are nowhere near as safe, free or unconstrained.

This said, it is again both wonderful and extraordinary that Jews turned out in such numbers to celebrate oneness and continuity. See you next year!