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Friday April 27, 2001

TV shows and rock 'n' roll to highlight Israel Day here

They've moved to New York City, leaving the rest of their Mizrachi family back home in Bat Yam, a working-class suburb of Tel Av
"Bat Yam/New York," a hit comedy series, is one of five Israeli television shows that will provide entertainment for grownups Su

Hanoch and Nahmias are the highly publicized stars of the day. But the videos and Berger are among the secret gems guaranteed to keep the party going.

Besides "Bat Yam/New York," the afternoon will feature an episode from each of four other popular and critically acclaimed TV offerings.

"Secrets of Kineret" -- in which the teenage feature character and the location, the Sea of Galilee or the Kineret as it is called in Israel, have the same name -- was an award-winner at the San Francisco Film Festival. The show deals with the mysterious disappearance of the teen's father, a Mossad agent.

Five comedians in "The Chamber Quartet" look satirically at subjects from politics to sex in a show that has been compared to "Saturday Night Live."

"The Bourgeoisie," in a premiere Bay Area showing, is a spoof based on the American show "Thirtysomething."

And audiences can get re-acquainted with the folks of "Florentene," a Bay Area favorite when it was featured for two years at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival.

On the live entertainment front, Berger, who will sing three songs with Hanoch, is an upcoming star in Israel. Her third album, "Ad Haktzeh" (To the Edge), was named the best album of the year by the Israeli music industry.

Berger grew up in Jerusalem and has been singing for most of her life. She formed her first band at 16, performed with the Israel Defense Force's Entertainment Corps during her army service, and then joined Balagan, a '90s group. When the band broke up after three years, Berger struck out on her own.

During the Family Fair, teens will get their own private room, decorated with rugs and pillows to evoke a Middle Eastern environment. They will be able to tap on darbukas, make necklaces, get henna tattoos, play backgammon and snack on Israeli food.

Sunday's event coincides with the Hebrew calendar date for Yom Ha'Atzmaut, the day when the state of Israel was established.

The S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation, along with the Jewish Community Relations Council and the JCF's Israel Center have been instrumental in bringing the festival to fruition each year. The Jewish Bulletin, the Consulate General of Israel, the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, and the Bureau of Jewish Education also are sponsors of Sunday's event, which receives funding from Grants for the Arts/ San Francisco Hotel Tax Fund, the Alon Family Foundation and the Gilo Family Foundation.

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