Saratoga Chabad's SHALOM FESTIVAL in Congress Park

This annual festival is now in its second year, and has become a welcome and joyous tradition in historic Congress Park in the heart of beautiful Saratoga Springs.

Shalom Festival 2005 Attractions:

ART DISPLAY BY MICHOEL MUCHNIK
Muchnik revolutionized Chasidic art with his imaginative and whimsical depiction of traditional and mystical themes. Muchnik’s original paintings, bas-relief mosaics and lithographs were displayed at the Brooklyn Museum, Goldman Arts Gallery in Washington, DC, Yeshiva University Museum, Dansforth Museum, the Sydney Jewish Museum and Shaarei Tzedek Collection in Israel. Some of Muchnik’s art will be available for purchase.

STEPHEN GRATTO VARIETY SHOW
Stephen Gratto will juggle, unicycle, rope and stilt walk through the day, with a feature performance at 1 pm. Gratto has a BA in physics, a BS in electrical engineering, and MS in teaching, and has performed variety shows for over 20 years at fairs, corporate parties and schools.

MUSIC BY ISAAC ADLER
Isaac Adler will play traditional & Israeli music throughout the day, bringing a festive and joyous Jewish spirit to the Shalom Festival and Congress Park.

YOUR NAME IN SCRIBAL ART
Rabbi Mendel Serebryanski, Saratoga Torah’s scribe, will inscribe individuals’ Jewish names in Torah script by quill on parchment. He will also display Judaica books and recordings (from The Mitzvah Center in Colonie) for sale.

JUDAIC CRAFT WORKSHOPS
Jewish Craft for children including sand art, foam projects, wood projects, personalized crafts and more. There is no charge for any of these craft projects.

THE SHOFAR FACTORY
Participants can create their personal Rosh HaShana Shofar for a nominal fee, sand and shellac it, watch it drilled and hollowed, and practice blowing Shofar sounds.

FREILICHE FARMER - RABBI SHMUEL SIMENOWITZ
is one of the finest guitarists on the Jewish musical scene. Well versed in Jewish liturgical and folk melodies, he blends the different musical styles that shaped his life Hebraic chant, Southern blues and rock, bluegrass, jazz and reggae. The result was "The Jewish Blues" released in 1980 with long-time friend and musical mentor, guitar legend Roy Buchanan. Simenowitz has toured extensively with his band, “The Jewish Blues” at concerts in colleges and festivals throughout the US, and has accompanied Shlomo Carlebach, Piamenta, and others. In 1995, Shmuel and his family established Sweet Whisper Farms, a horse-powered, organic maple syrup farm in rural Vermont. He heads “Project Ya’aleh V’Yavo” introducing day school students to farming. The Freilicher (happy) Farmer will perform his jolly tunes, and also sell his own Kosher maple syrup products, and offer maple syrup tasting.

KOSHER FOOD CONCESSION
Kosher hotdogs, hamburgers, falafel, snacks & cold drinks will be sold, plus fresh produce by local farmers.

FRENCHY LOEB ARTISTIC JEWELRY DESIGNS
Local Jewelry artist Frenchy Loeb will display and sell fine jewelry. A multi-media artist, Frenchy Loeb (of the former Adels-Loeb Jewelers in downtown Albany) is known for her colorful Caribbean island scenes. With an early background in jewelry design, beaded jewelry is her latest artistic expression. Frenchy sells her jewelry at craft shows, and they are on display at Saratoga Trunk. She teaches beaded jewelry and watercolor classes at various locations.

Thanks to all who came and enjoyed. Looking forward to see you next year!!

For more info contact Rochie or Rabbi Abba
584 -7702, 587-6746 or email: saratora@aol.com

see Shalom Festival 2004.