Welcome to the 2024 Jewish Heritage Festival. After our much-needed post-COVID 2022 Festival, we did not think that circumstances would make the 2024 Festival as urgently needed. However, “in this ever-changing world in which we live in”,* this year’s Festival seems even more urgent for the Jewish Community and supporters of Israel. The post-October 7th world has not only put the Jewish people’s homeland in jeopardy but has also allowed festering antisemitism to flourish, becoming more pervasive in the United States and the world. Thankfully, our Jewish community has great support from Sheriff Chitwood, our other elected officials and the greater Volusia/Flagler community in combatting any potential local effects.
The Festival started as the vision of the Temple Presidents’ Council for Volusia and Flagler Counties. A Steering Committee began meeting in January, 2007 leading to our first event in March, 2008, which was a rousing success that attracted 10,000 visitors. As one of our food vendors told the Daytona Beach News-Journal: “This is better than Bike Week”. Even with the COVID pause, we are now presenting our heritage now for the 8th time!
The Festival is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that’s sole purpose is put this Festival on every other year. Festival funding has come from Sponsorships and tax-deductible Family/Individual Donations. We are proud once again to have the Endowment Fund of the Jewish Federation of Volusia and Flagler Counties as our Grand Sponsor as well as great local support from corporate and individual sponsorship.
Radiology Associates Imaging is again the presenting sponsor of the Health Fair, and we thank them for that! We are excited by the response of our medical community as they share the Jewish Spirit of Tikkun Olam – to repair the world.
The Festival features continuous nationally acclaimed entertainment. Attendees can feast on Kosher, Deli-style and Mediterranean food. We have arts, crafts, packaged foods and Judaica vendors, Jewish Organization booths, speakers and exhibits including a Holocaust Memorial and Jewish Hall of Fame. Our Jewish Hall of Fame is a multidimensional display that includes a Shtetl exhibit, an Israel exhibition, Torahs and much much more! Children’s entertainment is available throughout the day including a Matza making interactive demonstration, inflatables, face painting, a balloon artist, a petting zoo and signature camel rides. You will even run into Moses and other biblical characters!
The Festival expresses the heart and soul of Jewish Florida. For a single day, it intertwines the sounds, sights, and spirit of Jewish culture and weaves together every facet of the Jewish Community, young and old, singles and families, regardless of their religious and cultural background. Like other cultural festivals, we also want to share our heritage with others – you don’t have to be Jewish to enjoy a Jewish Festival! Let’s celebrate Jewish Heritage.
Shalom y’all and L’Chaim!
Jeffrey Bigman, Chair
*Acknowledgement to Paul McCartney for the line but not the sentiment – we need to Live and Let Live.
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Click Here to see the program for the 2024 Festival.
– Jeffrey Bigman, Chair