With only a few months to go until Esra’s huge thirtieth anniversary festival at Kibbutz Shefayim, plans are going full steam ahead It is amazing how this event is pulling everyone from Esra together. But it is, after all, the biggest showcase that Esra has ever held.

Headline speakers include David Rubinger, arguably the Israel’s finest news photographer, and his British biographer Ruth Corman; the London-born and newly retired editor-in-chief of Ha’aretz David Landau and Australian born Mark Regev, spokesman for the Prime Minister’s office. Mark’s Australian accent is evident when you hear him on the BBC, CNN, NBC or any of the world’s English language media. The brightly colored thread which brings the whole day together is the magnificent contribution made by Anglos to the State of Israel.

Although neither Prime Minister Golda Meir nor Abba Eban ever managed to rid themselves of their Anglo accents, they were leaders among many whose invaluable contribution to the State will always be remembered. Today, there are many Anglos who don’t show a trace of an English accent when they speak Hebrew and those who have attended innumerable ulpanim and have never got beyond kita bet. It is to all of us that Esra’s 30^th anniversary is dedicated!

Among the many events during the day will be talks by food writer Ann Kleinberg (of Pomegranate fame), by gallery owner and photograph curator Vivienne Silver Brody and by Lydia Aisenberg, from the Givat Haviva project. Also on our list of participants will be Bonita Posen whose lively literary workshops have proven to be a great hit.

Esra’s 30^th anniversary day at Kibbutz Shefayim also includes leading figures from the world of medicine, diplomacy, education, Jewish history and much more. Workshops are planned for gardening, health and the creative arts. As ticket holders arrive they will discover a host of events to choose from, events which will continue all day long. So if your preference is an illustrated talk or an Israeli folk dance lesson, a documentary film or a literature workshop, you just turn up and take your pick.

Alongside the entertainment and the activities, there will be displays from projects run by Esra. Over 900 Esra volunteers are involved in these community projects each month, and the 30^th Anniversary celebrations offer a perfect opportunity to put on a show. Here too Ethiopian handicrafts and photographic exhibitions will be displayed, alongside Arts & Crafts stalls.

And for film buffs, we have selected outstanding Israeli film documentaries (with English sub-titles) to be shown in the auditorium, a selection will be followed by a question-and-answer sessions. There will be live music, from jazz to classical, a sing-along – already a great hit with Esra members – and a constant supply of complimentary coffee/teas and cold drinks. The day closes with Esra’s annual Volunteers’ Evening and a concert.