Red carpet (illustration)
Photo: Israel Bardugo
Jason Alexander
Photo: AP
Hollywood stars salute Israel
Jewish state's 60th anniversary celebrations continue; this time in Los Angeles. Famous faces, including Kevin Spacey, Jason Alexander and Heidi Klum, join in on prestigious festivities
Even Hollywood is celebrating the State of Israel's 60th anniversary.
Kevin Spacey, Kiefer Sutherland and Oliver Stone are some of the invitees who have confirmed their arrival to the prestigious event in support of the six-decade old country.
The event will take place at Paramount studios in Los Angeles.
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More than 1,000 people were invited to the festivities and they are all Americans of high standing in the movie industry and Jewish community.
Attendees will pay a $1,000 entrance fee for the event that will take place on September 18 and which will be produced by the American Friends of the Citizens' Empowerment Center in Israel, in cooperation with the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles.
Those invited will arrive in limousines and make their red-carpet entrances while being photographed by the media; just as local tradition would have it.
Amongst those present will be chairmen and general-mangers from most of the big Hollywood studios including Warner Bros., Fox, Paramount, Sony Pictures and more.
Some of the invitees who have confirmed their attendance are director Oliver Stone, actor Jason Alexander (a.k.a. George from Seinfeld), supermodel Heidi Klum and actress Debi Mazar.
Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt were also invited but have not yet submitted their RSVP.
The event will begin with a cocktail party, continue with a festive dinner and finally the main event. Movies on Israel will be screened and a lifetime achievement award will be given to producer Arnon Milchan.
The master of ceremonies has not yet been chosen and a production associate has said that the option of a joint-MC position for Yair Lapid and Adam Sandler is being considered.
The Citizens' Empowerment Center in Israel was founded by Israeli-American billionaire Izak Parviz Nazarian who organizes activities in Israel for teenage education and democracy and advances government-strengthening initiatives.
Nazarian, who lives in Beverly Hills, and the Israeli consul-general in Los Angeles Yaakov Dayan have been trying to convince studio officials to send crews to Israel for filming projects.
Filming of this sort means an investment of millions of dollars in Israel.
The government and opposition will be represented by Education Minister Yuli Tamir (Labor) and Knesset Member Silvan Shalom (Likud), respectively.
