Philanthropic Pickleball Tournament Set for September Down the Shore
The philanthropic Funky Pickle Ventnor Classic is set for Sept. 11 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 5600 Atlantic Ave. in Ventnor, New Jersey, with proceeds benefiting the All Clear Foundation, which provides resources and mental health services to emergency responders and their families.
“Pickleball saved my life last year during COVID. It filled the void of social interaction and inability to produce experiences for people,” said Alexander Greer, a Funny Pickle Productions co-founder, along with Maggie Corrado. “I fell in love with pickleball because of the community that exists around the sport. It’s intergenerational and inclusive. Everyone is welcome, no matter your age, size, shape or experience.”
The tournament portion of the event will be broken down into two mixed doubles brackets: Social (Get Funky) and Advanced (Pickle Down), with players hailing from throughout South Jersey and the Philadelphia region.
Along with food options, the inaugural event will feature the AMI Foundation Mammo Van, an on-site mobile digital mammography van offering free mammograms to attendees, craft pickle juice cocktails and the opportunity to challenge professional pickleball players through a variety of contests.
For further details, visit funkypickleproductions.com.
NJ JFS Receives $20K United Way Grant
Jewish Family Service of Atlantic & Cape May Counties received a $20,000 grant from the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. The money will be used for JFS general operating support.
“The generous United Way grant will assure those in need will continue to have access to the programs, services and assistance they have come to rely upon us for,” JFS CEO Andrea Steinberg said.
JFS programs and services include older adult programming, counseling, the Atlantic Homeless Alliance, a food pantry, a Pathways to Recovery program and vocational services.
NMAJH Jewish Music Series to Feature Ladino and Cuban Artists in Coming Weeks
The National Museum of American Jewish History’s “Songs of Our People Songs of Our Neighbors” series will feature Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) and Latin artists in the coming weeks. The series explores music from varied Jewish traditions and diverse cultures.
Ladino musician Susana Behar will perform at 8 p.m. on Aug. 18. Now based in Miami, Behar was born in Havana, Cuba, and also lived in Venezuela for 17 years. She was most recently the artist-in-residence at Miami History Museum. She will be accompanied by guitarist Michel Gonzalez for the live performance portions of the program.
And at 8 p.m. on Sept. 2, Grammy-nominated Afro-Cuban percussionist and vocalist Pedrito Martinez, a Santeria priest who was born in Havana, Cuba, will perform. He’s a member of the Nuevo Jazz Latino program at Lincoln Center and has collaborated with Paul Simon, James Taylor, Wynton Marsalis and Quincy Jones.
Both events are virtual on Zoom, Facebook and the NMAJH website. The public may tune in for free, although there is a $10 suggested donation. Visit nmajh.org/virtual-museum for details.
