Jewish Community Festival Brings People Together

On Sunday afternoon and into the evening, members of the Jewish community in Sarasota gathered to celebrate their religion, sing, eat and even dunk the Rabbi in a dunk tank.

"My shoes are still wet but otherwise I was able to dry off and change," said Rabbi Chaim Steinmetz of Chabad of Sarasota.

Rabbi Steinmetz sacrificed his dry clothes on a chilly afternoon to raise money and bring people together.

"It is the only holiday that the main purpose of the holiday is to spread out the warmth and the light," Rabbi Steinmetz said.

According to Rabbi Steinmetz, Sunday's crowd was the largest this event, which is in it's sixth year, has had.

Also in the crowd was Sarasota Mayor, Kelly Kirschner. He presented Rabbi Steinmetz and Chabad of Sarasota an official proclamation stating that the City Commission recognizes December 2-9, 2010, as Chabad Week.

"Thank you for holding this in the heart of our downtown," said Kirschner during his presentation. "We are celebrating the city of Sarasota and the entire Jewish community."

Rabbi Steinmetz said it has been the entire community supporting this event that has made it successful.

"We are overwhelmed with the support of the community - even those who are not Jewish," Steinmetz said.