VENTNOR – Shirat Hayam’s Summer Bayside Bash 3-7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8 promises an afternoon of fun for all age groups. For the younger guests, a Children’s Talent Show starts off the afternoon at 3 p.m.. An inflatable slide and arts and crafts will be open continuously. The Wetlands Institute will be set up on the premises with fun, interactive, hands-on presentations with live sea creatures from 3:45 to 4:40 p.m.
And from 4:45 until 5:30 p.m., Rebecca Schoffer, a singer, songwriter, cantorial soloist, playwright of Jewish family theater and an experiential Jewish educator, entertains. She is also the leader of the Shababa community at the 92nd Street Y in NYC. Schoffer was a recent recipient of the 2019 Young Pioneers Award from The Jewish Education Project, which celebrates forward thinking innovative educators. “Pack Your Tambourine” is her newest album of modern Jewish family music for adults and kids, with songs ranging from folk to funk, bluegrass to New Orleans, to rock. She will have her audience of all ages moving, singing and rocking out.
Older kids from 8-14 can participate in the Ga-Ga Tournaments. With Ga-Ga pit and equipment recently installed on the premises of Shirat Hayam in Ventnor, the games will be ongoing 5-7 p.m. Players are required to wear sneakers or closed shoes. The popular game set-up was generously donated and will be dedicated to the memory of congregation member Leah Barker z”l.
From 5:30 until 7:30 p.m., the B’nai Shalom Band led by Rabbi Jeff Schnitzer will entertain guests of all ages. Kosher food will be available, as well as a myriad of vendors and local Jewish and secular agencies with valuable information for the community. Synagogue tours of the Shirat Hayam facility will be conducted for those who are interested.
The summer Bayside Bash celebrates the five-year anniversary of the merger of the two congregations that came together to form Shirat Hayam. Emeth Shalom, the reform congregation, and Beth Judah, the Conservative congregation are combined for governance, learning, social and special programs. Separate religious services are conducted under the aegis of the respective clergy: Rabbi Jonathan Kremer, Cantor Harvey Wolbransky, Cantor Emeritus Edmond Kulp on the Conservative side and Reform Spiritual Leader Cantor Jacqueline Menaker and Rabbi Emeritus Gordon Geller on the Reform side.
The rain date for the Bayside Bash is Sunday, Aug. 15.
