Paddle a Dragon Boat on the Kinneret this Spring

 

Click here to register.

 

Join more than 800 paddlers on 40 teams from around the world at the Dragon Boat Israel Festival May 28-29, 2015 on the Sea of Galilee. Everyone is welcome: teams include people of all religions, backgrounds and ages. No experience? No problem. More than half the participants have never paddled before, so you will feel right at home whatever your skill level.

 

The Dragon Boat Israel Festival was started in 2012 by Jewish Canadian paddlers who wanted to combine their love of dragon boat racing with their love of Israel. At the conclusion of the first festival, the Canadian Jewish communities involved donated six boats, which remained in Israel to help continue growth of the sport. By bringing this festival to Israel, we have helped introduce a new sport to the country, and now there is a growing dragon boat community in Israel. This year, more than 2,000 people are expected to take part in the festival, including paddlers, spectators, musicians, and art, food, and wine exhibitors.

 

The festival is creating a legacy that not only engages Israelis in a new sport, but that builds connections to Canada and international communities, and develops a new attraction in the region. The Dragon Boat Israel Festival is an initiative of Partnership 2Gether (P2G); a program that twins Canadian communities with Israeli communities, and aims to strengthen the relationship between the people of both countries.

 

Jewish Federation is proud to provide support for the Dragon Boat Israel Festival by organizing a local team, offsetting the initial start-up costs, and arranging for a Gesher Chai (Living Bridge) opportunity to connect participants from Canada with those living in our partnership region in Israel. Since the festival began in 2012, it has raised more than $40,000 to support programs for at-risk youth in Israel. This year, the festival welcomes a new charitable partner, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Funds raised through the festival will support autism research and programs at the Hebrew University.

 

Register online at jewishvancouver.com/dbi by February 20, 2015.  For more information, please contact Dafna Silberstein at dsilberstein@jewishvancouver.com or 604.257.5190.