AJLF Dives into Jewish Culture at Georgia Aquarium

There’s a new festival in town and it aims to become Atlanta’s largest consortium of Jewish organizations gathered in support and promotion of Jewish life in Atlanta.

The inaugural Atlanta Jewish Life Festival, presented by Atlanta Jewish Times, will be a celebration of Jewish culture and community. The single day fest will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019, at the Georgia Aquarium.

“AJLF is the result of our vision to create a festival that brings our diverse Jewish community together in a celebration of our culture and unique contributions,” said Michael Morris, AJT owner and publisher. “We’re excited to showcase the wonderful variety of Jewish food, music and art to the public while educating people about our prosperous establishments contributing to society,” Morris said.

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Festival-goers can expect an interactive day of live performances, traditional foods, Judaica art and a community bazaar spotlighting dozens of Atlanta’s Jewish organizations, all prominently set before the breathtaking backdrop of beluga whales, blacktip reef sharks and blue spotted stingrays.           

A few festival highlights include:

• Yummy fare from kosher and kosher-style vendors such as Pita Palace, A Kosher Touch Catering, Baroque Culinary, Revolution Gelato, Cinnaholic and Ali’s Cookies, Israeli coffee and tastings of Israeli wines. 

• A stage sponsored by Atlanta Jewish Music Festival will rock the Aquarium’s main atrium with performances by entertainers: Scott Glazer’s Mojo Dojo; As of Yet: A Laurence Rosenthal Project; Friction; Congregation Bet Haverim chorus; The Epstein School; and MJCCA Dancers.

• A special exhibition on Jewish life contributed by The William Bremen Jewish Heritage Museum and the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

• Kids’ activities including face painters, a magician, henna and caricature artists.

Tickets include entry to the aquarium for the entire day. AJLF single tickets cost only $18. A deeply-discounted family pack costs only $54 for two adults and up to four children.

AJLF major sponsors are: Georgia Aquarium | Marcus Foundation | Morris Family Foundation | The Billi Marcus Foundation | Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta | Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta | William Bremen Jewish Heritage Museum | Atlanta Jewish Music Festival | Event Visions | StarLab Productions | Changers + Makers | Woodward Academy | Act of Loving Kindness by Dressler Funeral Care.

The list of organizations participating in the festival is impressive and continues to grow. As of this printing: Alpha Epsilon Pi | Am Yisrael Chai | Atlanta Jewish Film Festival | Atlanta Scholars Kollel | Birthright Israel Foundation | Camp Ramah Darom | Center for Israel Education | Chabad | Chabad Intown | Computer House Calls, LLC | Congregation B’nai Torah | Congregation Shearith Israel | Hebrew Order of David | Honeymoon Israel | In The City Camp| Jewish Educational Loan Fund |  Jewish Family & Career Services | Jewish Fertility Foundation | Jewish Home Life Communities | Jewish Interest Free Loan of Atlanta Inc. | Jewish Kids Groups | JScreen at Emory University | JumpSpark | KSU Museum of History and Holocaust Education | Limmud Atlanta + Southeast | National Council of Jewish Women | ORT America Atlanta region | Peach State Stitchers | Simon Wiesenthal Center | Temple Emanu-El | The Temple | Volunteers for Israel | William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum.

Organizations, vendors or artists wanting to participate can still join the festival. Applications are online, www.atlantajewishmusicfestival.com.

AJLF is presented by the AJT, metro Atlanta’s premier Jewish weekly newspaper. AJLF is a 501(c)3 nonprofit with the mission of promoting the bonds of community among metro Atlanta’s diverse Jewish population.

For more information, visit www.atlantajewishlifefestival.com.