April 26, 2004
A capacity crowd of nearly 200 participants celebrated Yom Haatzmaut at the Jewish Cultural Centre in Amsterdam.

Part of the festivities was the awarding of the Jerusalem Prize to Christians for Israel. While presenting the prize to Reverend de Vreugd, the President of the organization, Mr. Dan Cohen, the president of the Zionist Federation of Holland, remarked that Israel and Jews need to rely on and connect with their non-Jewish supporters. The prize was given to the organization for its active and substantial support of Israel during the past 25 years. Christians for Israel reaches 60,000 people every month through its magazine, Israel Actual; organizes at least 15 solidarity missions to Israel every year - terror or no terror; raises money for handicapped children; helps Ukrainian Jews to make Aliyah; and organizes a successful Israel Product Centre that sells Israeli products all over the Netherlands.

A toast to Israel, an Israeli style meal and a speech by the Israeli Ambassador, Mr. Eitan Margalit, was followed by great local music. The music was received with enthusiasm and spontaneous dancing by all present.

The Israeli embassy was well represented at the evening, which was organized by the Dutch Zionist Federation, in cooperation with the Orthodox and Reform Synagogue, the Centre for Information and Documentation on Israel (CIDI) and Israel Action.

The program aimed at pleasing all generations, the low admission fee, the fact that the main Jewish organizations worked as one in putting together the event, all worked towards making the celebration a successful and memorable Yom Haatzmaut.