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Around the Community
THE BALTIMORE JEWISH HOME
AUGUST 5, 2021
The Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore and the Community
O
n Sunday evening, July 25, more than 250 Baltimoreans came out for The Associated Jewish Federation of Baltimore’s Summer Music Fest – Here for Good Community Concert. The event took place at Pearlstone and featured members of The Bridge, Jazz is Phish & Psycho Killers — Paul Weinberg, Dave Markowitz & Matt Chase — 3 of a kind +1, and local bluegrass favorite, the 19th Street Band. It was their first in-person event of the season. A community celebration that brought people together safely outside on a beautiful summer evening to schmooze and celebrate community. Families came with food, blankets and chairs to enjoy the festivities and summer sounds as they danced the night away. They climbed on Pearlstone’s ropes course and participated in agricultural projects that tied together Judaism and nature. Jason A. Blavatt, The Associated’s 2022 Annual Campaign Development Chair, welcomed the crowd with excitement and energy, announcing The Associated’s theme for this upcoming
year, ‘HERE FOR GOOD.’ “It has been more than a year and a half since we have been together in person. We hope all of you are ready for a great evening of music and fun. This is a wonderful opportunity for us to be reminded of how fortunate we are to be part of the Jewish community of Baltimore.” He continued with, ‘As always, we and our agencies, together with you, have helped thousands of people stay safe and secure in their homes through the generosity of donations from people just like you.” For Lev Bar-av, who came with his wife, Jillian and two daughters, Hannah and Zoe, it was exactly what was needed at this time. “We were overly thrilled with our first opportunity at an outdoor musical experience. It was awesome and we are so grateful to the folks at the Associated for planning and producing that event. Thank you,” he said. With the success of this year’s festival, The Associated hopes to return next year to Pearlstone, which is one of the agencies they fund, and turn this into an annual gathering.
“Raising the Steaks” for a Night to Remember
B A LT I M O R E J E W I S H H O M E . C O M
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t was the perfect guys’ night out. The weather was perfect, the music was lively, the company was convivial, and the food—prime ribs, short ribs, duck, leg of lamb, and more—was a carnivore’s dream. The best part of the night, however, was the opportunity to help one of Baltimore’s top Jewish organizations. Raise the Steaks is an annual fundraising event for Etz Chaim, a vibrant network of programs for Baltimore-area Jewish adults. The 2021 edition drew over 100 Jewish
men for mingling, noshing, and supporting a great cause. The highlight of the event was a talk by Matthew Fleisher, an active community member who shared his story of how Etz Chaim helped him grow Jewishly and professionally after moving to Baltimore from Philadelphia. When he first came to town, Fleisher knew he was looking for a Jewish journey but didn’t know where to start. After joining the J-Care Fellowship for young professionals, he went from feeling lost to having a fam-
ily. “[Etz Chaim] gives guys like me a home,” he said. “We are trying to raise the stakes and create a community for people who need to find their Jewish path.” Some of the attendees, like Fleisher, were regulars at Etz Chaim programs. Others were discovering Etz Chaim for the first time and left eager for more. In addition to J-Care, Etz Chaim offers the popular Wine and Wisdom series, several thought-provoking book clubs, festive holiday celebrations, outreach to college stu-
dents, Talmud classes for seniors, and so much more. The one downside to the event? Nobody wanted the night to end. The good news is that Etz Chaim’s continues to offer fun, welcoming programs all year long for Jewish adults of all ages. Visit www.etzchaim.org to learn more! Photo Credits: Lev Bar Av/National Photo
