On May 4, 2025, JEWISHcolorado’s annual Celebrate Israel Walk & Festival revived one of its favorite traditions—the “Walk.” More than 2,000 Jewish people and their allies from across the state and around the world gathered at Lowry’s Great Lawn Park to celebrate and march, honoring the state of Israel—its culture and people.
“This is a special day when we erase the 6,842 miles between us and our friends and family in Israel,” said JEWISHcolorado President & CEO Renée Rockford. “Today, it is as if there are no miles between us. Today we stand as one, walk as one, pray as one, mourn as one, and we celebrate as one.”
JEWISHcolorado President & CEO Renée Rockford
The theme for this year’s Celebrate Israel was “Hineni,” meaning “Here I am, I am here.” For each person who came out on this Sunday morning, “Hineni” carried personal meaning.
“I am here because, as a Jewish person, this is where I belong—at a celebration of Israel’s 77 years. It’s something to be proud of.” Penny Nisson
“Hineni means being present and being part of the community, showing your support. I have my son and daughter with me because it’s good for the next generation to see that the community is strong and thriving.” Matt Mulverhill
“I am here because sometimes the best thing you can do to support your cause is to put your own two feet into the problem and support the state of Israel.” Stacey Hoffman
“To me, it means showing up for G-d, to hear G-d’s message and to translate that into action here in the world, making the world a better place.” Barbara Vogt
“I am here because as Jews, we are responsible for each other, and we are part of the world community of Judaism.” Jacques Ruda
“We are here because we made this trip from Albuquerque to be with my daughter at this event. Seeing all the people is heartwarming.” Leslie Pivar
“Hineni is that time when we are not distracted by thoughts of the past or by plans for the future, and we are able to truly notice the enormity of being alive. That’s when we have that powerful feeling of “Here I am.” Aaron Sturtz
For some people, this was their first Celebrate. But for other Colorado families, Celebrate is a family tradition. And for one couple, Celebrate is the origin story of their family—going back 46 years. In 1979, Jeff Auerbach came to the Celebrate Israel event alone. So did Terri Binstock. They have been together ever since and, Terri says, “We are still each other’s best friends.” How they met on a May day many decades ago is a story with mystical overtones that led to a marvelous commitment, thanks to their love for Israel and each other.
‘Everything was beshert’
In May 1979, Jeff had just graduated from Colorado College, and he was home for a weekend. His family had a long history of involvement with the then-Allied Jewish Federation of Colorado, and he went to the Walk that day because, he says, “Israel was a big part of our family.”
Jeff and Terri Auerbach
In that same month, Terri had finished her senior year at the University of Colorado Boulder, but her life had been changed dramatically after she spent her junior year studying at Hebrew University of Jerusalem. As a sophomore at CU Boulder, she had taken a course on the history of Zionism and Israel. When she was given a brochure and applied for the study abroad program, she was accepted immediately and spent the next year studying in Israel on a program where she knew no one.
“I stayed a full year, and I didn’t leave until the last minute of the last day,” she says. “I fell in love with Israel.”
Terri returned home, graduated from CU Boulder the same year that Jeff graduated from Colorado College, but her heart was still in Israel, so she set out by herself to celebrate Israel at the 1979 walk.
And here is where the story takes that afore-promised mystical turn.
Terri’s mother had been a graduate student at the University of Denver where she met a young man named Yakov. Jeff’s parents opened their house for Shabbos dinners and had invited the very same Yakov. At that 1979 march, Terri was walking by herself, Jeff was walking by himself, but somehow, they both ran into Yakov. He introduced them, they started walking together, and within six months they were engaged.
Terri and Jeff Auerbach at Celebrate Israel in 2022
As for Yakov, no one ever saw him again.
“I think he was an angel sent from heaven to introduce us,” Terri says, with a laugh. What bound Terri and Jeff so quickly were mutual interests and their love for Israel. Today, the Auerbachs have five children and 19 grandchildren, including 10 grandchildren they recently visited at their daughter’s home in Israel.
And what if they had not gone to the Walk on that day in 1979?
“Everything was beshert,” Terri says. “And we are each other’s beshert,” Jeff adds.
Here I am, I am here
Sponsored by the Staenberg Family Foundation, the Zeff Kesher Foundation, The Staenberg-Loup JCC, the Tepper Family Foundation, Jill and Stuart Bombel, Fastlane Productions and Tiffany and Joel Appel and Zaidy’s Deli and Bakery, this year’s Celebrate was truly global in nature. Yaara Ron Cohen, the Partnership Coordinator from JEWISHcolorado’s partner region of Ramat HaNegev, brought a team of Israeli teens.
Ramat HaNegev Mayor Eran Doron
Mayor Eran Doron, the mayor of Ramat HaNegev, greeted old friends and spoke.
“I am here to thank this beautiful community for the amazing support, especially the past 18 months as Israel has been at war,” Doron said. “I am also here to tell you that we understand that antisemitism is rising in the U.S., and we want to support and strengthen you, just as you are strengthening us. We are in this together.”
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser also addressed the issue of increased antisemitic sentiment and actions in the country.
“Having a safe and secure Israel so that all Jews know that there is a place that will protect them is more important than ever,” Weiser said. “What we can all do in this time is to continue to have moral clarity that hate against anyone is not right.”
This year’s Celebrate kept favorite traditions—the dancing, the food! But this year also included many new elements—a collaboration with the Staenberg-Loup JCC, an Israeli Market, and a record number of community partners, all thanks in large part to the hard work of JEWISHcolorado Shlicha Nelly Ben Tal, Israel & Overseas manager Noa Notrika, and Stephanie Geller and her unflagging events team.
As for Terri and Jeff Auerbach, they missed this year’s Celebrate because Jeff is still recovering from recent surgery. But have no doubt, they still embody the theme of Hineni. They may have not been there in person, but in spirit, they would certainly say, “Here I am, I am here.”