Saturday, November 8, 2025
Come one, come all to the sixth annual Marion & Aaron Gural JCC Succos Fair, at Andrew J. Parise Park in Cedarhurst.
The seven-day Jewish holiday of Sukkot, a time of joy and happiness, will take place Oct. 6 to 13. Observers celebrate by dwelling in a Sukkah, a hut that is covered with branches and decorated, to commemorate God’s sheltering of their ancestors during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.
The Succos Fair debuted in 2019, and after skipping 2020 because of the pandemic, it has been held every year since. It is co-sponsored by Community Chest South Shore.
This year the fair will take place on Oct. 9, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Oct. 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Oct. 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“We draw people from all over the metropolitan area,” Stacey Feldman, executive director of the Gural JCC, said. “Thousands of people will be with us to enjoy the beautiful holiday.”
The celebration will feature the Chicago Boys, an acrobatic group, on Oct. 9, at 12:30 and 3 p.m., and the music of Danny Palgom on Oct. 12. There will also be an array of activities for children, including face painting, a petting zoo, arts and crafts, rides and bounce houses. And kosher food will be available for purchase from local eateries including Chickies, Lollibop, David’s Pizza and Pizza’le.
“We are very proud to put together three days of a magnificent festival for so many members of our community and the extended community of the metropolitan area,” Feldman said.
She added that she hoped for three days of wonderful weather for the celebration. “Our goal is to have an affordable fair where families can have a great day spent outside while celebrating the holiday of Sukkot,” Feldman said. “We do have a beautiful huge Sukkah on premises.”
She said she has been “humbled” by the number of thank-you notes that community members send each year after the event.
This year’s fair has been in the works for the past six months, as staff members have made sure they have the necessary permits, insurance and marketing materials, and collaborated with the Village of Cedarhurst.
“We wish to thank the Village of Cedarhurst for being an incredible partner on providing wonderful family-friendly entertainment for the community,” Feldman added.
Cedarhurst Mayor Benjamin Weinstock said that the village is “proud to host the fair in our park” and that officials and residents look forward to it every year.
“In addition to providing a fun entertainment experience for our kids and their parents, we know that making the park available helps the JCC raise much needed funds for the many programs they run,” Weinstock wrote in an email. “My grandchildren love going and meeting friends for a day of wholesome fun.”
The village also helps the JCC plan the dates. “As we get closer we help coordinate security, traffic and parking related concerns,” Weinstock wrote. “When the fair is in operation the Village’s highway and public works staff covers the park to make sure that we have space to store and operate the rides and keep the grounds neat and orderly, and provide water and electric.”
Cal Nathan has been president of the Community Chest South Shore for 10 years. It is the oldest charitable organization in the Five Towns, and just celebrated 90 years.
“The JCC is our largest supported organization,” Nathan said.
What began as a Columbus Day weekend fair, turned into a three-day extravaganza that the entire community can enjoy when children in Yeshivas and Jewish day schools are off from school.
“It’s an amazing, wonderful fair that Stacey and her team at the JCC run,” Nathan added. “We provide a large grant to offset the costs.”
His favorite part of the event, he said, is seeing thousands of families and children come together to enjoy family-friendly entertainment.
“It’s challenging finding family entertainment that’s affordable,” Nathan said. “Living in the Five Towns is expensive, but being able to provide multi-day entertainment allows us to continue to support our mission of supporting the local community.”
