The Jan. 24 1998 gala at the CoreStates Center will honor the nation's 50th birthday.

The pieces are finally falling into place for "Hear, O Israel," the bash at the CoreStates Center Jan. 24 that kicks off a yearlong celebration honoring Israel's 50th birthday. The stage will be shared by the Philadelphia and Israel Philharmonic  Orchestras, sometimes playing separately, sometimes together.

    Maestros Wolfgang Sawallisch and  Zubin Mehta will lead their own groups in some works, and will orchestra-swap in others. Tony Bennett will croon Gershwin and Kern, Kathleen Battle will warble Mendelssohn, Israeli pop star Noa (Achinoam Nini) will share her unusual technique of singing while thumping percussively on her body.

    "This event will tell the people of America that this is where the celebration coalesced, and the people of Israel will hear about it, too," said Los Angeles producer Wayne Baruch, who outlined the whole schmear before a meeting of the Israel 50 executive committee yesterday.

President Clinton has been invited, as has Vice President Gore, says Joseph Smukler, who is co-chairing the event with his wife, Connie. "Clinton and [ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ] Netanyahu are meeting on the 20th, in Washington, and Clinton is meeting with [ Palestinian leader Yasir ] Arafat on the 22d, and whether they come will depend on what happens there," he said. "They've all been invited. Wouldn't it be something to have the three of them pop in?"