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Celebrating 100 years
Photo: AP

Tel Aviv festivities kick off with a bang

Hundreds of thousands of people gather in Rabin Square to take part in concert marking city's centennial

On Saturday night, the centennial anniversary of Tel Aviv was celebrated with a free concert and firework show. Hundreds of thousands of people jammed into Rabin square to mark the occasion. The event was kicked off with a speech from Tel Aviv mayor Ron Huldai and was followed by an amazing spectacle of music.

 

The concert began with a performance by the Tel Aviv Philharmonic orchestra who played pieces by Strauss and Tchaikovsky to the backdrop of exploding fireworks and an unbelievable light show. Behind the stage, City Hall was lit up with flaming lights illuminating the number 100.


Saturday's concert (Photo: Yaron Brener)

 

The entire square was rigged with elaborate fireworks and the night sky became a canvass of exploding colors. The show included performances by Barry Sakharof, Miri Mesika, Mati Caspi, Shlomo Gronich, Danny Robas, Dana International, Alona Daniel, and the Monica Sex band.

 

Along with the performers, there were elaborate dance routines with hundreds of people on stage. All the apartments facing Rabin square were packed with people hanging over their balconies to catch a glimpse of the show.

 

The square was packed with a diverse crowd of children, adults and elderly who were all able to celebrate together. The music was a mix of classical, rock, opera, and pop which provided something for all ages to enjoy. Following the concert, trance and dance music began playing, which set off a gigantic street party that lasted late into the night. People were really excited to be part of the city's centennial.

 

City has come a long way  

Natalie Dembowich, an American tourist taking part in the concert said, “When the fireworks started I was brought to tears. Emotions blew through my body. My father was born in Tel Aviv and to be here to celebrate 100 years of my father's birthplace was an incredible experience”.

 

The city has come a long way in that time. When Tel Aviv was established in 1909, it was a small community on the outskirts of Yafo. Since then, Tel Aviv has evolved into an industrial and cultural hub. The city is home to over 400,000 people and over 2 million in the surrounding areas.

 

Saturday's concert is just one of many events that will be going on throughout the year marking Tel Aviv's 100th anniversary. The city has invested an unprecedented NIS 70 million towards free events. This means there will be more opportunities to revel in this historic time in the history of Tel Aviv. From its inception, Tel Aviv was established to be a modern Jewish city and one hundred years later that dream is still alive.

 


פרסום ראשון: 04.05.09, 09:39
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