The theme of JEWISHcolorado’s 2026 Celebrate Israel was “Lev Echad,” to stand in solidarity with Israel with “one heart.” That goal was aided, in large part, by the talents of the Israeli global mass-singing phenomenon, “Koolulam.”
For more than 1,500 people who gathered at Great Lawn Park—many of whom may not had sung in front of people since their bar or bat mitzvah—Koolulam created harmony among singers ranging in age from two to ninety. If you arrived at Celebrate Israel with a heavy heart, you left with a sense of joy and unity, as demonstrated by the many people who joined in singing “One Day,” a song of hope for a world free from violence.
“Koolulam was amazing. It was exactly what we needed right now—not to focus on the pain we may feel but how much we love one another and how much we love the world.”
“I thought it was incredible. The vibe that they created was very, very special, and it made the sense of unity that we are all trying to feel very tangible. We are so lucky that we got to have them in Denver this year!”
“‘One Day’ is a beautiful song. And to have all different ages singing together—Hurray for JEWISHcolorado!”
Renée Rockford with JEWISHcolorado’s Shinshinim
“This is what community looks like,” said Renée Rockford, President and CEO of JEWISHcolorado. “But community does not happen by accident. We are sustained by all of you. Today, there is no distance between Colorado and Israel because when people share one heart, geography is just a detail.”
Why come to Celebrate?
People come to Celebrate every year to show support for Israel, but when they arrive, they find so much more.
There is the opportunity to catch up and socialize with old friends and meet new people. Attendees could meet and talk to distinguished elected officials, including Senator Michael Bennet and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. Children discovered games and experiences—including the always popular face-painting—and adults could talk with representatives of many different Colorado Jewish organizations, all with their own story to tell.
“Jewish Family Service likes to show solidarity with our community partners in support of the work that JEWISHcolorado does and the work that all the Jewish agencies in town do. To come together as one unified community where others can come and seek out resources, have a good time, and honor Israel’s birthday is a really wonderful thing to do.” Lisa Soicher, Jewish Family Service
“It’s so wonderful to see everyone come out and support Israel. We often feel there is not a lot we can do from afar, so it’s great that we can get together and stand in solidarity with the people of Israel.” Jason Snyder, Denver Jewish Day School
“Since we are geographically removed from everyone else, we don’t always get to participate in a lot of community events. In these fraught times, we feel it’s important to come together as a community. Come join us in Evergreen!” Elizabeth Moore, Administrator of Congregation Beth Evergreen
“This is one of the largest Jewish events for Colorado every year and we are honored to be here. We love to learn about everything that is happening across the state at other Jewish agencies. Above all, we think it is important to come together to honor the culture, beauty, and people of Israel.” Elyana Funk, Executive Director, Hillel CU Boulder
Nelly Ben Tal, JEWISHcolorado’s Shlicha, will end her three-year tenure soon and return to Israel. She thanked the audience for teaching her about hope.
“When I was a kid, I thought hope was just a feeling,” she said. “This community in Colorado taught me that hope is not something you feel. Hope is something you do. Together. And hope is the foundation of belonging. Today’s theme—“Lev Echad”—doesn’t mean we all think the same, live the same, or agree on everything. It means that when something matters, we show up. We always choose to care for each other.”
That uplifting message resonated with many attendees at Celebrate.
“I love this event. I love Israel. It’s a difficult time now and it’s doubly important to show support for a place that I cherish. I’m thrilled that we have so many people showing up.” Estelle Meskin
“I am Israeli and this is a great opportunity to get together in a safe and friendly environment. In a time when we hear so many anti-Israel messages around the world, it feels good to see that we can get together, support each other, be friendly, with no talk about politics.” Kobi Chumash
“I’m here for Israel. I’m with a lot of other people who feel the same way I do. With a large group, you are joining with everyone to acknowledge your Jewishness. There is strength in numbers.” Eileen Dumas
“I think it’s important not to be afraid to embrace our Judaism and not to be afraid to support Israel. Not being able to come out to a park to celebrate Israel and Jewish people would be terrible. And to do it is wonderful.” Harvey Chimoff
“Because of the antisemitism today, it’s important to be in a group to show cohesion and solidarity. It’s important that we not hide.” Barbara Dey
Why sing with Koolulam?
Koolulam has performed at events that range from small workshops to large venues. Perhaps the most celebrated Koolulam gathering was held at Yad Eliyahu Stadium on Israel’s 70th Independence Day with 12,000 Israelis.
The organization likes to say that it leads people on an empowering musical-spiritual journey. In Colorado, the leader was Rena Strober who brought just the right amount of positive energy and gentle nudging to her role as Koolulam conductor. She asked people to greet, in person, the people around them that they did not know. “Create a new mishpacha!” she encouraged. “Sing like you are in a giant shower,” she asked. “Beat hate with gratefulness!”
In response to Strober’s energy, the crowd sang enthusiastically and danced with abandon.
“It took everything for me not to cry through the whole performance,” said Strober. “Seeing this crowd range from two years old to 80- and 90-year-olds, and everyone had the same experience. That is our goal. No matter how old you are, you sing, you harmonize, and you feel at one. And their Hebrew was so good!”
Strober’s energy was infectious.
“I loved how she got everyone to harmonize with each other. There is something so powerful when people sing together. There is a spiritual connection that happens.”
“This was fantastic! I have seen Koolulam on YouTube. It was so much fun to see it in real life.”
“It’s so full of joy. I’m suffering from stress but for just this one hour, I felt like everything was okay.”
The most important message on this day of Lev Echad came through the words of the song, “One Day.”
“All my life, I’ve been waitin’ for
I’ve been prayin’ for, for the people to say
That we don’t wanna fight no more
There’ll be no more wars, and our children will play
One day, one day, one day.”
Celebrate Israel 2026 was made possible by many generous donors, including presenting sponsors Mizel Family Foundations, the Staenberg Family Foundation, and the Zeff Kesher Foundation.