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JERUSALEM SET TO CELEBRATE ITS 3000TH ANNIVERSARY
15-MONTH SEASON OF EVENTS, GALAS AND HAPPENINGS

New York, New York: On Monday night September 4, hundreds of thousands of Israelis - joined by visitors from around the world - will watch one of the most sophisticated laser and firework displays ever mounted light up the sky over Jerusalem's ancient Valley of the Cross. This extraordinary light-show will launch JERUSALEM 3000, A 15-month season of celebrations and festivities commemorating the 3,000th anniversary of King David establishing the city as capital of his kingdom.

Interviewed in New York on the vast array of events, Uzi Michaeli, Israel's Consul and North American Tourism Commissioner, commented that JERUSALEM 3000 will not only bring a mass of international celebrities, leading artists, performers and visitors to the city, but will also add new dimensions of vibrancy and diversity to the American public's image of Israel's capital. "Americans will be able to appreciate more powerfully than ever before the extraordinary 20th century renaissance of this ancient and sacred city," Michaeli observed. "And we expect a massive wave of visitors from six continents during this special year - not only the millions of regular vacationers to Israel, but, particularly Jewish, Christian and Muslim pilgrims for whom this city has such unique significance."

The celebration's organizers stress that JERUSALEM 3000 - some five years in the planning - has been conceived as a multi- level extravaganza of cultural events, star-studded galas, performances, exhibitions and special attractions which will speak not only to Israelis, but to visitors of all faiths. In anticipation of the record- breaking number of visitors, Israel's Ministry of Tourism and Jerusalem's Municipality decided to spread the events over a 15-month period to avoid tourist-gridlock. Nevertheless, the city has bolstered its infrastructure, enlarging highways, building new entertainment sites such as the 30,000-seat Malcha Amphitheater, a more intimate 500-seat amphitheater in Ein Karem, and a 12,000 seat amphitheater at the Haas Promenade - noted for its sweeping panorama of the entire city.