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Holiday In The 'Hood
Synagogues and Jewish organizations unite in a fun-filled Chanukah celebration.
STORY BY ELIZABETH APPLEBAUM
PHOTOS BY BRETT MOUNTAIN
T
he first thing you have to do is take off
your shoes. Then you have to make sure
you're not too tall. (Admission is for per-
sons 3-feet and shorter.)
Then, at last, you get to jump right in the yel-
low, red and blue thing that looks like a huge
marshmallow; then you join other kids, and you
laugh and scream with joy as you jump around
and up and down like you're a piece of popcorn.
Welcome to the moon walk, just one bit of
fun at a Chanukah in the (Neighbor)'Hood
event held Sunday at the Jewish Community
Center in Oak Park.
The event was sponsored by the Benard L.
Mass Foundation, the JCC, Congregation
T'chiyah, the Bake Station, Temple Emanu-El,
Congregation Beth Shalom and Young Israel of
Oak Park.
David Goodman, a T'chiyah member, was
pleased that the sponsors represented such a var-
ied group. Its so great to see the synagogues in
the neighborhood working together," he said.
Goodman said he was eager to participate in
the day's program because "T'chiyah (which
recently resettled in Oak Park) is new here in the
neighborhood, and we wanted ways to be
involved."
Besides, Goodman admitted to being "a child
at heart," so he felt right at home in the dizzying
fun of the carnival at Chanukah in the 'Hood,
which also featured a magic show, musical per-
formances, arts and crafts, storytelling from the
rabbis and much more.
Goodman is a friendly, genial person, likely the
reason he secured the plumb job of helping chil-
dren at the moon walk. As boys and girls entered
the JCC gym, they ran straight to the moon walk,
where Goodman directed them to remove their
shoes and get ready for the jumping.
Of course, not everyone could do the moon walk
at the same time, but there was plenty of other
things to do. The JCC gym was filled with games
where you could win lollipops, test your golfing
skills or a game in which players set their plastic
dreidel on the number that they're sure will be a
winner.
Lilly Morrison and her pal Rachel Cherry of
Huntington Woods were laughing as they played a
game where they tossed balls into paper cups. If the
ball landed into a cup with an orange sticker at the
bottom, the player won eight tickets, which could
be traded for prizes.
Lilly and Rachel loved the duck game best of all
("The most fun," said Lilly) and no wonder. Just
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about everyone turned out to be a winner.
Sarah Bernstein, Congregation Beth Shalom
member, was in charge of the game. Floating
plastic ducks — bright-pink, orange, grape-pur-
ple and green — all floated about in a red tub.
If you got one with an "X" on the bottom, you
got five tickets. Tiny children stood all around
the edges of the tub reaching for the ducks,
invariably finding one with the "X".
Another popular event was the basket toss.
Throw a ball into one of the buckets and win
tickets. Raitzy Godfre, of Oak Park, a student at
Ganeinu, loved the activity, which she played
with sister, Shaindy, who attends Yeshivas
Darchei Torah and who liked the arts and crafts
best.
Standing in line near the Godfrey girls at the
basket toss were Becky Griffin and Gabriella
Ring, both of Oak Park. The girls were taking a
well-deserved break after performing in concert
with other Congregation Beth Shalom choir
members.
Becky, who loves music and has been singing
since she was 6, said she enjoyed performing
"Latkes," "Not By Might, Not By Power" and
"Don't Let the Light Go Out," while Gabriella's
favorite song she sang that day was "Light One
Candle."
Decorative blue-and-white balloons bobbed all
around, dancing about in the sweet breezes that
came with children jumping and dancing and
cavorting.
But first, what carnival would be complete
without some treats?
Manning the prize table was not, definitely not,
a job for the meek. Children came by the dozens,
though most managed to stay in one of four lines
when it came time to choose how to spend their
tickets.
The Center's Mike Dalessandro, Chris Galatis
and the amazingly patient Donna Einhom all
helped the children pick from among the goodies:
thunder sticks, glow-in-the-dark balls, Red Wings
notebooks, key chains, fuzzy purses and note-
books. II
From top to bottom: Raitzy Godfiyy, 4, of Oak
Park works on a crafts project with Brachi
13, of Oak Park.
Sarah Bernstein, 17, of Oak Park shows Adam
Siegel 3, of Oak Park his winner in the floating
ducks game while Rebecca Driker-Ohren, 4, of
Huntington Woods and other children wait their
turn.
Shimon Ferden 2, of Southfield watches Eli
Gerchak, 5, of West Bloomfield pick a prize.