The Temple Beth Ami Jewish Food Festival:
They came for a nosh. They stayed for the fun. In droves!

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We did it! Our Temple’s Jewish Food Festival, held Sunday, May 17, was the first event of its kind in the Santa Clarita Valley – and it succeeded beyond anything any of us even dared to imagine. As soon as we opened at 11AM the crowds were there in numbers that made our jaws drop. We estimate that over 1000 people attended, and overall sales were 80% greater than estimated, vendors were delighted with their results. Lots of our vendors entirely sold out of food and merchandise. Many of them commented on how amazed they were that a first-time event was so successful and ran so smoothly. Several merchants have already told us that they’re ready to sign up for TBA’s next food festival!

The only problem was the blistering hot weather. We asked Rabbi Blazer if he could do something about that next year. He said he’ll get back to us. We’re waiting.

What made the TBA Jewish Food Festival the stunning success that it was must be attributed to the brilliant, creative and tireless work of both the members of our committee, as well as all the others who helped. On the committee were Hedy Greenfield, Esther Sternin, Jodi Rosen, Judy Wolfe, Shawn Monheim, Denise and Alan Youngwood, Doreen Hawbecker, Sharon and Dick Greenberg, Francine Van Scoyoc, Dan and Yvonne May, Marcia Davis, Ethel Nakutin, and yours truly, Carolyn Heitmann. Among the many others contributing their time and energy unreservedly and generously were Rabbi Blazer, Tracy Blazer, Sarah Rensin, Joe Rensin, Teri Knafla, Vanessa Wilk, Pam Jaffke, Barbara & Marvin Siegel, Cal Greenfield, Mary Fuchsman, Alan Sternin, Joyce Stein, Gene and Bonnie Horwitz, Rob Hershenson, my husband John Heitmann, our Men’s Club and Sisterhood. I thank all of them (and those many, many unnamed others who gave so generously of their time and effort – we know who you are) from the bottom of my heart, knowing that for them as well as for myself, the real thanks for all our work was the satisfaction in knowing what this resounding success meant to Temple Beth Ami.

Special thanks must also go to our Platinum sponsors: The City of Santa Clarita, MLA Reps, Palmdale Glass & Mirror, CA Rasmussen, and KHTS; our Gold Sponsors, Classic Design Jewelry, Advantage Disposal, Pacific Sales, Western Bagels, and Intertex; and our Silver Sponsors: Thelma’s, Morning Café, Yoga Yoga, Tina Tyndall at L’Esprit Salon, Heartland, Frames Connection, DiningGuy.com, and Castaic Water.
 
So what’s next? Next year, of course! With the idea being to make Santa Clarita Valley’s second ever Jewish Food Festival bigger, better, more delicious and more fun than its first. (We also expect it to be cooler, and we know who’s responsible for that!)

Article by Carolyn Heitmann, Chair, TBA Jewish Food Festival
President: Hedy Greenfield  hedyg@sbcglobal.net