When Mendel Sherman conceived the idea of Sababa Fest while at a Wilkes-Barre yeshiva seven years ago, his goals for the music and Shabbat festival were modest.
If a couple hundred people showed up, had a good time and developed a sense of community, he would have been happy.
With that mission accomplished, Sherman, 26, is thinking a little bigger these days, while still keeping the community feel in mind.
The third iteration of the Jewish music festival — named after the Hebrew slang for “cool” — will take place June 20-23 in Honesdale in the northeastern portion of the state.
The first festival, which was held in Dingmans Ferry, drew about 325, while last year’s event, which moved to the current location, pulled in 525.
“This year, we’re hoping to pass that,” Sherman said, noting that some participants will be flying in to attend. “We’re hoping to hit 600 this year.”
Artists scheduled to appear include Marbin, Nechama Cohen, DJ Daddy, Tali Yess, Roy Baron, Brosky, Moe Lichter, JAKANI, Zalmy Schrieber and Binyomin Lerner.
Sherman described headliner Marbin as a “gyspy jazz funk fusion” band out of Chicago, although its founders are Israeli. The DJs Roy Baron and Brosky are also expected to draw fans, he said.
Aside from the music, the festival is also a Shabbat experience. There will be a halachically kosher eruv, candle lighting ceremony for women, scheduled davenings with Sefer Torah, Chazanim, fully catered Glatt kosher Shabbat meals and a musical Havdalah ceremony. Music acts will not perform during Shabbat.
“The hospitality aspect of the week is a big thing for us,” Sherman said. “It really offers a platform for the Orthodox people.”
And there are events designed for those not necessarily into music.
The 20- and 30-somethings will be able to play Ultimate Frisbee/basketball/soccer, swim in a heated pool, kayak, participate in morning yoga classes, join interactive workshops — including tie-dying, team building, standup comedy and tzitzit tying — in the afternoon, partake in late-night bonfires, and sing and dance while welcoming the Shabbat queen.
“We really just try to incorporate a lot of elements,” Sherman said, noting that while plenty of singles attend the festival — and a couple that met at the first one has since married and had a child — “the main goal is to bring young people and the millennials together.”
Given that the festival lasts four days, various accommodations are available.
Although apartments are sold out, camping and cabin options remain. The cabins, which are segregated by sex, sleep up to 18 people.
The growing size of the festival has made logistics challenging, Sherman said.
“Every year, people say, ‘The more you do it, the easier it gets,’” he said, adding that his staff of volunteers and paid employees is growing. “I don’t agree with that.”
Sherman expects the event to continue evolving. Even if Sababa remains grassroots in nature, Sherman recently incorporated Sababa Fest as a nonprofit and will continue trying to break even, while looking to attract sponsors. The first Sababa accomplished that, but last year’s event lost a small amount.
Tickets and information can be found at sababafest.com.
agotlieb@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0797
