Summerfest Draws Record Crowd, Gift
- Posted on:
- July 28, 2010
UJA-Federation of New York’s Long Island region got its 2011 campaign off to a fast, festive start July 27th as a record-breaking 1,200 supporters attended Summerfest, honoring Jeffrey Gould for his commitment to the organization and then dancing and singing along to the hits of pop stars Daryl Hall and John Oates.
The 20th annual Summerfest, which raised $1.4 million that was also a record for the event, was held at the Theatre at Westbury, as veteran and new UJA-Federation backers gathered for a night of activism and socializing.
“We are just blown away by the turnout tonight,” Joyce Sharfstein — a Summerfest chair along with her husband, Phil, and Jackie and Erik Gershwind — told the crowd in the theater.
Erik Gershwind urged those in attendance to find their way to “build your own legacy for the next generation.” He said he and his wife were fortunate to have the “magnificent legacy” of his grandparents, Sid and Bernice Jacobson, to inspire them, but others should create their own path. “What organization will you choose to help you build that legacy? Jackie and I have chosen UJA-Federation. We did so because UJA-Federation is the organization that has the most impact in our community.”
In introducing Gould for the Robert S. Boas Community Leadership Award, Phil Sharfstein said, “Jeff does so much more than donate money. His appreciation for his life and his passion for doing the right thing for the Jewish community is contagious and motivates everyone around him to do the same.” Gould, president and CEO of BRT Realty Trust, said in a video message, “There’s a huge need out there,” and he urged people to give of both their time and money. On stage as he accepted the award, Gould said, “It’s humbling, it’s a beautiful award, and I appreciate it a lot.”
Hall and Oates, who have been playing together since the late 1960s and are in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, played 90 minutes of their songs to an enthusiastic audience that was often on its feet swaying and dancing. Accompanied by loud sing-alongs, they included many of their songs that topped the music charts in the 1970s and 1980s, including “Rich Girl,” “Maneater,” and “Private Eyes.”
Oates, speaking to the crowd after one of the band’s final encores of the evening, “You Make My Dreams,” said, “Thank you, UJA-Federation, for having us. This is fantastic. Thank you for supporting such a great organization.”
Before the concert, hundreds mingled in a huge tent in the parking lot, eating and listening to live music from the Nancy Atlas Project. As they went into the tent, many donated canned goods to be distributed to those in need by the Met Council on Jewish Poverty, a beneficiary agency of UJA-Federation.
In the tent, waiters wore black T-shirts with the message “5 great things about UJA-Federation’s Long Island region”— citing such work as stocking backpacks with school supplies, filling food pantries, helping students experience Birthright Israel, visiting homebound seniors, and serving Thanksgiving dinners. “Imagine what we’ll do this year” was its tagline.