Music and Fun in the Sun

(L-R) Chief Executive Officer of the Westchester Jewish Council Elliot Forchheimer has tefillin wrapped on first his arm and then his forehead by Chabad of Yonkers Rabbi Mendy Hurwitz; Rabbi Yoel Hurwitz, brother of Rabbi Mendy, blew the shofar and spoke about this month of Elul, at at the 47th Annual Westchester Jewish Music and Arts Festival, noon to 6 pm, at the Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla. Photo (c) by Robert Kalfus
(L-R) famed singer Neshama Carlebach singing with members of the Gospel Choir and her band entertaining at the 47th annual Westchester Jewish Music and Arts Festival at the Kensico Dam Plaza. Photo (c) Robert Kalfus

By Robert Kalfus

Westchester’s 47th Annual Jewish Music and Arts Festival returned to the Kensico Dam Plaza’s free parking in Vahalla this past Sunday, providing music, entertainment, performers and kosher food vendors under a glorious blue sky, free of rain. This year’s Music and Arts Festival saw a huge and enthusiastic turnout, filling the Dam Plaza area, and spilling over onto shaded benches where some people chose to sit.

A harmony-driven folk group The Levins started the Festival at noon, followed by the WonderSpark Puppets show, the Liz Queler Band and the Urban Garage. The famous singer Neshama Carlebach performed with members of the Gospel Choir and her band for well more than an hour, and also sang with her husband, Rabbi Menachem Creditor; followed by Juggler Ned Gelfars entertaining both children and adults. Two sessions of spirited Israeli dancing filled the plaza area in front of the tent erected to shield people from the sun.

Westchester’s seven Kol Hazzarim Cantors – Cantor Gil Ezring, Cantor Ines Kapustiansky, Cantor Anna May, Cantor Lauren Phillips Fogelman, Cantor Melissa Puius, and Cantor Gaby Schvartz closed out the day’s events with a delightful kumsitz. More than 50 sponsors included almost every Westchester synagogue, jewelry and boutiques, several financial services, kosher food services including Masala Kraft, Westchester’s only Certified Kosher vegetarian kosher Indian restaurant, kosher pizza, ice cream, camps, nursing home and rehabilitation centers, the PJ Library which offers free books to children (www.PJlibrar.org), the Hillels of Westchester, two sessions of Israeli dancing, the Touro College of Dental Medicine, all of which are available at www.wjcouncil.org.

The Westchester Jewish Council specified that styrofoam was prohibited for food service; no cups, plates or clamshell boxes for eating or takeout, and paper plates were instead provided. The event was organized by the Westchester Jewish Council which may be contacted at www.wjcouncil.org and (914)328-7001, or info@wjcouncil.org.

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