WATCH: Flavors of hope: Jerusalem's food truck festival serves up joy

Join Kayla Sprague as she takes you on a mouthwatering journey through the Jerusalem Food Truck Festival 2024.

From families to tourists, everyone finds a place at this table. Kayla interviews participants, chefs and visitors, capturing the essence of this remarkable event that showcases the best of Jerusalem's food scene and indomitable spirit.

Click on the video above to watch or read the lightly-edited transcript below.

Good evening. I'm Kayla Sprague, reporting live from the Armon HaNatziv promenade here in Jerusalem, where the air is filled with tantalizing aromas and the sound of music and laughter. It's amazing.

The Jerusalem Food Truck Festival 2024 is in full swing. And let me tell you, it is a feast for all the senses.

Guest 1 of the festival: This is pepperoni pizza. The cheese is not... It's kosher. The cheese is not cheese. It tastes like cheese. This is crispy chicken. And it's amazing. It has like, coleslaw in it. It's amazing. And this is lamb... Something lamb. It's really good.

Guest 2 of the festival: I took a sandwich with asado and a halva sweet and some delicious things from Rachel. And it's amazing. A very amazing atmosphere, amazing people, amazing view. Great place to be.

Guest 3 of the festival: We are having a hamburger and schnitzel and French fries. We came for dinner. Her older brothers and sisters aren't home, so we're having a fun day. My husband's on the way. Look at all the people here. It's so much fun. We love it. Amazing.

Kayla: Do you like it? Yes. Okay, take a big bite. Let's see how. How is it?

Child of guest 3: Yummy.

Kayla: How did you hear about tonight?

Guest 4 of the festival: I come every every year.

Kayla: Yeah. Okay. Take a big bite. Nice.

Despite the challenges Israel has faced this year, the spirit of resilience and joy is palpable here every Tuesday through Thursday. This promenade transforms into a culinary paradise. The festival showcases the best of Jerusalem's vibrant food scene, with a rotating cast of top chefs and restaurants serving up delectable dishes from their food trucks all around.

But it's not just about the food. The organizers have truly outdone themselves this year. Picture this: The longest bar in Israel, stretching all along the promenade, it offers everything from craft cocktails to local wines, all while you sit back and take in breathtaking views of Jerusalem.

And just when you think it couldn't get any better, there's a nightly laser show. I'm serious. A light show that completely illuminates the sky.

The festival is more than just a food event. It's a testament to Jerusalem's unbreakable spirit. Every Wednesday, which is tonight, the air vibrates with live music from Israel's top artists, from rock bands to rappers. The lineup is diverse as the city itself.

Guest 3: It's just kind of normal life, trying to make normal life for us, for the kids. And the weather here is amazing, and it feels kind of normal in the middle of the craziness, so we're trying our best.

Guest 5 of the festival: I think it's really important. My husband, my new husband is in the army, in the paratroopers. It's like something refreshing. Something happy to see people with guns and things and still happy and coming to a beautiful place. So I think it's important.

Kayla: What strikes me most tonight is the sense of community. Families, friends, even tourists are mingling, sharing tables and creating memories together. It's really heartwarming to see Jerusalem come together at a night like this in light of recent events.

Alex, owner of "Mojo's Restaurant": Right. We're in the middle of a war. It's insanity. And everybody needs a break once in a while. We all need to, like, just like, breathe again. It's. It's insanity. What's going on? My boy's in Gaza. It's not easy. My daughter, my daughter, my boy. Another boy of mine. My son-in-law. There he is.

Kayla: I love it.

Alex: We're trying to give what we can back to everybody. It's hard. It's not easy. My boy's and probably Rafah [Gaza] right now, he's a tank driver.

Kayla: How many pizzas are in the oven?

Alex: There you go. Oh. You're good. You're hired. You're looking for a job.

Kayla: Well, thank you so much.

Guest 6 of the festival: We've been going to Mojo's once a month since the beginning of the war because he's our friend. And it was really important to support the restaurants in Israel because they were really struggling. So that's a part of it also.

Kayla: Beautiful. Beautiful.

Husband of guest 6: And during the war, it feels like we'd be giving in to Hamas not to do the things that are normal and to live somewhat of a normal life. I have enough of the war that enters my life, in my regular life. I could take a break for a few minutes.

Kayla: That's really good. Yeah, I agree. Well, thank you guys so much for your time.

Guest 6: You might want to edit this out. The person that they announced was killed yesterday is a friend of mine. And so I feel like I'm both happy and crying at the same time, because that's what it is to live here. All the time. We live with joy and tears and resilience. All at the same time.

Husband: And you think they're going to cut that?

Kayla: As we wrap up this feature, I want to remind you, keep Israel in your thoughts and in your prayers.

And if you have a chance, come experience this incredible event. There is something for everyone here. The food. I haven't tasted it yet, but I'm excited because I know it's going to be amazing. The atmosphere is electric and the spirit of Jerusalem is stronger than ever.

This is Kayla Sprague for ALL ISRAEL NEWS reporting from the Jerusalem Food Festival 2024.

Thank you so much. See you next time.