Jewish groups collaborate for family day on May 25

EAST BRUNSWICK — The Campus for Jewish Life will hold the second annual Central Jersey Jewish Family Fun Day on Memorial Day, May 25.

Formerly the YM-YWHA of Raritan Valley, the Campus for Jewish Life has enjoyed a 70-year run as the centerpiece of the Middlesex County Jewish community. Since closing its facility in Highland Park in 2006, the organization has been hard at work, re-branding the organization and planning a new building at the Y Country Swim Club and Day Camp, 72 Dutch Road in East Brunswick.

The May 25 event, which will be held at the Dutch Road facility, is a collaborative effort of all three of East Brunswick's synagogues and temples — Young Israel of East Brunswick, East Brunswick Jewish Center, Temple B'nai Shalom — and is also sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Middlesex County, Hadassah, and Chabad.

"The amount of collaboration in terms of all the Jewish organizations from the area that are on board is amazing," said Robin Kessler, director of the Y Country Swim Club and Day Camp. "We want the community to be there enjoying the day with us, and we are looking forward to it."

The event is free of charge and will run from noon to 6 p.m. It will feature music from NY Entertainment and Odessa, a Klezmer band. Activities will include drumming circles given by Sharon from Living at Peace, Israeli dance demonstrations, a moon bounce, face painters and more. Kiosks selling food and ice cream will also be available, along with vendors and area nonprofits' information tables.

The Campus for Jewish Life's Y Country Day Camp has been serving children for more than a decade and doubles as a swim club. The swim club covers 10.5 acres of the Dutch Road campus with tennis and basketball courts, softball fields and two in-ground pools. Membership for the summer is free for camp families and $250 for all others.

The Dutch Road site is also the future home of the Campus for Jewish Life's Jewish Community Center, to be called The Pavilion.

"Naming the facility 'The Pavilion' demonstrates that we are open and welcoming to all," said Amanda Shechter, the Campus'

president. "In these difficult times, we feel it is especially important to have a place for the entire community to gather."

The building is planned to be LEED-Platinum Certified, the highest level of "green" building certification in the U.S. It will be the first community center of any kind in New Jersey to be certified at that level. The Campus' leadership has applied for planning grants associated with "green construction."

"Sustainability is a key component of our organization's mission statement." Shechter said. Last year's event, which was called the Tri-Synagogue Family Day, drew more than 500 people, and an organizer said an equal if not greater crowd is expected for the May 25 gathering. Kessler said this year's total could be close to 1,000 attendees.

"From a small idea, this event has surpassed our wildest dreams with the excitement from the community, the energy of our board to make things happen, and a promising future," Kessler said, noting the plans for the Dutch Road facility.

For additional information about the event, email tri.synagogue@yahoo.com or visit the website at www.tcfjl.org.