By Utica Phoenix Staff | Photos by Tom Loughlin Jr.
UTICA — On June 12, 2022, the Jewish Community Federation of the Mohawk Valley held its first ever Jewish cultural festival, called ‘Jewtica.’ The event was held at the Jewish Community Center of Utica, NY at 2310 Oneida Street, Utica.
The day was an inaugural event to share the Jewish cultural heritage with the Mohawk Valley, as well as celebrate the 175 years that Jews have been an integral part of the Mohawk Valley Region (‘Jewtica’ pamphlet).
In addition to this inaugural celebration of Jewtica, the Jewish Community Center also used the opportunity to announce the establishment of The Mohawk Valley Jewish Hall of Fame. According to the Jewtica pamphlet, The Hall of Fame will “recognize those Jews with a connection to our region, whose contributions to the Jewish people of the Mohawk Valley, the United States, or the world are notable, significant, or otherwise deserving of such recognition.”
Jewtica was filled with music, culture, and food, and just some of the programming included: Jewish music – Sara Tisch and Linda Slavin, Cantor Kal Socolof, the Mohawk Valley Jewish Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony with music by The Templations, Jewish Jeopardy, The Broadway Babes, and an interview with Josh Rawitch, President of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Additionally, the Jewtica event included a focus on food with ‘In Bubbe’s Kitchen.” There was several food-related programs, such as: pickles with Jeffery Yoskowitz, Challah with Devorah Waks, Blintzes with Jeffery Yoskovitz, and Baba Ghanoush with Jake Silberlicht.
Overall, the first-ever Jewitica was a success. Feel free to follow Jewtica on both Instagram and Facebook, as well as e-mail UticaJewtica@gmail.com for more information. Attached pictures taken by Tom Loughlin, Jr.
