The 14th Street Y 2019 Annual Purim Gala Honors The Union Square Partnership And Executive Director Jennifer Falk

The 14th Street Y will host its 2019 PURIM Gala on Thursday, March 14, 2019 at 6pm at Cipriani 25 Broadway. The 14th Street Y will honor the Union Square Partnership and its Executive Director, Jennifer Falk, as the recipient of the 14th Street Y Community Builder Award.

The 14th Street Y is a vibrant community center grounded in the belief that contemporary Jewish sensibilities can be a source of inspiration, connection, and learning for the individuals and families we serve throughout New York City's East Village and beyond.

The 14th Street Y's Community Builder Award recognizes champions who go above and beyond to cultivate and strengthen their communities, and in turn inspire others-individuals, organizations, and local businesses-to do the same. The 14th Street Y could not think of a better recipient for its first Community Builder Award than the Union Square Partnership and its Executive Director Jennifer Falk.

"We are thrilled to recognize the Union Square Partnership and Executive Director Jennifer Falk as leaders and partners in serving this diverse community," said Rabbi Shira Koch Epstein, Executive Director of The 14th Street Y. "The organization's tireless efforts in community building and neighborhood improvement initiatives provide vital service to our vibrant district."

"It is truly an honor to accept the 14th Street Y's inaugural 'Community Builder Award' on behalf of my incredible team and the Union Square Partnership's devoted board of directors," said Jennifer E. Falk, Executive Director of the Union Square Partnership. "The 14th Street Y is a key partner in our work to build community and improve our shared neighborhood. They have been vital to the district's growth and we look forward to working with them closely as they continue to make plans for their new facility. We are truly humbled to be acknowledged in this way and look forward to a festive and joyous celebration on Thursday, March 14."

The community is invited for a decadent evening in celebration of all things Purim. Masks and revelry will abound from the moment guests enter the Gala and are greeted with a champagne toast served from above by a cirque-style aerial artist. A cocktail hour with scintillating music and a photo booth where guests can don many disguises will be followed by a sumptuous dinner and a proper Purim spiel hosted by Artist Fellows from the 14th Street Y's flagship artistic program, LABA: A Laboratory for Jewish Culture. Groggers will spin and wine will pour as attendees are reminded this holiday celebrates community, giving back to our neighbors and of course...feasting.

The Gala will be held at Cipriani 25 Broadway with cocktails at 6pm and dinner & entertainment at 7pm. Festive attire and masks are encouraged. To learn more about the night's events, get tickets, or to make a donation, please visit https://www.14streety.org/gala/.

Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar. Celebrated with feasts, drink and revelry, it celebrates standing up for what you believe in and calls us to honor others through giving gifts and charity.

In keeping with the time-honored Purim tradition of masquerade, guests are invited to indulge in wearing Purim-inspired masks and accessories. Try on a bit of whimsy, drama or intrigue and be transformed instantly... go on, we dare you!

The 14th Street Y 2019 Purim Gala will feature one-of-a kind live art and performances, including:
Ari Brand, an actor, musician, writer, teacher and lifelong New Yorker. His current projects include developing a play based on the life of his father, an Israeli-American pianist who died of AIDS in 1990. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and two-year-old son.

Yochai Greenfeld, dancer, actor and singer, was born and raised in Israel, where his artistic passion evolved among the books and the scrolls at YeshViat Maale Gilboa. He believes in art as a form of multi-layered communication, and aspires to create meaningful, amusing and inspiring conversations in his work.

Marques Hollie, jewsician, is an operatic tenor and facilitator of creative Jewish ritual whose work focuses on creating Jew-of-color-centered ritual experiences. Marques was named one of New York Jewish Week's 36 Under 36 (2018) and a Fellow in the Union for Reform Judaism's JewV'Nation Fellowship, a visionary leadership development program.

Returning this year, the Gala will also feature Rachel Pegram, comedian, actor, and writer living in New York City. Onscreen, Rachel can be seen in the Adam Sandler Netflix movie The Week Of, as well as Don't Think Twice, The Chris Gethard Show on TruTv, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Late Show, Comedy Central, MTV, College Humor, Amazon, BET and more. In 2018 she was chosen by Comedy Central as an "Up Next" comedian and performed at Clusterfest in San Francisco. Rachel performs regularly at Union Hall, both as a writer/performer with the sketch group Lo-Fi NYC and as co-host of That Shit Ray, a monthly late night-esque variety show. She also regularly performs improv with Too Damn Much and Asssscat at UCB Hells Kitchen.

DINNER CO-CHAIRS

Barbara Benerofe and Harvey Schulweis, Lynne P. Brown, Lori Buchbinder, Susan Buchbinder and William Abramson, Susan Etess and Howard Zimmerman, Cristian Goodhart, Joseph Persky, Sally Wasserman and Henry Hecht