[by Shiela Steinman Wallace, Editor, Community]

The sounds of Jewish music filled Temple Shalom and spilled out into the parking lot on Sunday, October 13, as the congregation presented its annual KlezmerFest.

The Red Sea Pedestrians took the stage first, presenting a program of mostly original music and setting an energetic pace.

The internationally renowned Maxwell Street Klezmer Band followed with a mix of more traditional Klezmer pieces and some less familiar offerings. At different times during the performance, they encouraged the audience to get up and dance the Hora or to sing along with the chorus on classics like Bei Mir Bist Du Shein and Tum Balalaika.

The Maxwell Street Klezmer Band invited Cantors David Lipp and Sharon Hordes to join them on selected pieces.

KlezmerFest 2013 also feature home cooked Jewish foods like potato kugel, matzah ball soup, rugelach, Mandelbrot and babka. For the kids, there were outside bouncies, games, crafts and pizza.

Kudos to the KlezmerFest Committees. Helene Kramer Longton was KlezmerFest chair and emcee; Judy Sharp, KlezmerFest co-chair and Temple Shalom president; Kathy Karr, music chair; Andi Callum, KlezmerKids activities chair and Paula O’Connell, Food Committee chair.

There were many other volunteers who helped with this program.