1998 Israel 50 Fun Walk

Part Of: United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds; Annual Campaign series; Walk with Israel sub-series; 1998 Israel 50 Fun Walk sub-sub-series

Part Of: United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds; Annual Campaign series; Walk with Israel sub-series; 1998 Israel 50 Fun Walk sub-sub-series

Admin History/Bio: For Israel's fiftieth birthday, the Walk for Israel underwent many dramatic changes. Renamed the "Israel at 50 Fun Walk," the "march-as-one" style became a more staggered walk again, with a brand new seven-and-a-half-kilometre route in downtown Toronto. The new walk was more high profile and elaborate, starting with opening ceremonies and entertainment at Nathan Phillips Square, then winding through Old Jewish Toronto, through two checkpoints, and on to Ontario Place, where the Israel at 50 Festival was held. The date of the walk was Sunday, 24 May, and its slogan was "Let's Step Together." The chairs were Jeff Cohen, Fran Grundman, and Corey Mandell, with the assistance of committee members and walk staff Silvia Astrug and Naomi Cohen. More than fifteen thousand people turned out for the day, and more than $250,000 were raised.

Scope and Content: Sub-sub-series contains textual records, photographs, posters, artifacts (giveaways) and a promotional video from the 1998 Funwalk, the festival, and the learnathon. The files are arranged by function in this order: walk oversight (the Cabinet Committee and chairs), recruitment of participants and staff volunteers, logistics, publicity and design, corporate sponsorship, finances, the walk event itself, the festival, related fundraisers, and post-event evaluation and follow-up.

Notes: Physical description note: Includes 380 photographs (175 negatives), 4 posters, 2 hats, a T-shirt and 1 videocassette.