Celebrity Salute To Israel

by Justin Cohen - Tuesday 13th May 2008


They are already no strangers to the big screen, but the faces of some of Hollywood’s leading actors beamed down from giant electronic billboards in Times Square this week as part of celebrations for Israel’s 60th anniversary.

And while the featured A-listers, including Tom Cruise and Ben Stiller are used to portraying incredible tales on screen, the real-life story of the country whose birthday they were helping to mark is every bit as miraculous.

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Making its debut on the actual anniversary last Thursday and running throughout this month, the Celebrity Salute to Israel initiative from the Consulate General of Israel in New York also includes personalised video greetings from the likes of Kirk and Michael Douglas, Robin Williams, Billy Crystal and Sir Ben Kingsley.

Some of the stars are seen wearing party hats and most display happy birthday signs, while the clips also feature streamers and balloons galore. The greetings have been compiled into several packages lasting 30 seconds each, with one running every hour at the Reuters building
at 3 Times Square. The project has been coordinated with Nancy Spielberg, sister of director Steven.

David Saranga, Consul for Media and Public Affairs at the Consulate General of Israel, said: “We are proud that so many celebrities sent their good wishes to Israel on its 60th birthday. In Times Square, their congratulatory messages will be visible to the millions who pass through the heart of New York each day. This is a display the public cannot help but notice.”

Nancy Spielberg added: “It was especially gratifying to see how positive the Hollywood community was in participating in this project. In just a few short weeks, we received a flood of responses from various celebrities who wanted to salute Israel. I look forward to seeing their faces big and bold in Times Square throughout the month.”

The initiative comes hot on the heels of another high-profile campaign from Consulate General, which in cooperation with the city’s Salute to Israel Parade is highlighting the multicultural and multiethnic nature of Israeli society with its Faces of Israel campaign, a series of banners along Fifth Avenue each featuring the face of a citizen of different origin.

But while New Yorkers may be more familiar with such public statements on Israel, Londoners too will soon enjoy a taste of Israel with the capital’s first Salute to Israel Parade, for which the Jewish News and Media Group is the electronic media partner.

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