Many of Long Island’s best jazz musicians are coming to Bellmore for a good cause: funding programs that feed the hungry.
Congregation Beth Ohr is holding a charity jazz concert at the CBO Annex at 2655 Clubhouse Road in Merrick on April 19 at 2 p.m. At $10 per ticket, the proceeds from ticket sales will go towards funding the Congregation Beth Ohr’s Alix Rubinger Kosher Food Pantry’s operations.
Steve Tepper is an officer of Congregation Beth El and the organizer for this fundraiser. He is also a skilled musician with 50 years of experience, playing the drums from Bellmore to Broadway. With these skills and the help of likeminded artists, Tepper plans on helping his neighbors get food to the table while sharing his love for jazz music.
“There’s no real good jazz on Long Island except for restaurants,” he said. “The venue is part of Congregation Beth El, it’s our annex, and we have a piano and a stage, and it’s perfect for what I wanted to do… I wanted to I made it a charity because we have a community food pantry, and unfortunately, there’s a great need for the food pantry right now.”
The concert will feature performances from volunteer local bands Phantom Galaxy, McKenna Fenimore and All Star Band Jam. Depending on reception, jazz nights may become a regular fixture of the congregation’s calendar.
“It’s a wonderful idea… we need the funds because we have a lot of people coming in that depend upon us,” said Iris Astrof, the director of the CBO food pantry. “I’m thrilled that we’re doing this.”
The pantry attracts those with a generous streak to their character. Hector Brizuela works with CBO as an employee, going above and beyond to volunteer with the pantry for 14 years.
“I come in from nothing, and I know the feeling, (to not) have any money in your pocket, food to eat that day, and things like that,” he said. “That is why I like to do that.
“I see very the people that like to help, very generous people,” he continued. “That is my inspiration.”
Brizuela encouraged community members who cannot attend the event to help whenever and however they can.
A person in need can come to the pantry every other Thursday and receive one or two large bags of high-quality food. To make this possible, the pantry accepts financial and physical donations year-round. Funds go towards the purchase of grocery store gift cards that can be used to buy perishable goods such as fresh vegetables.
For more information, visit cbohr.org/event/jazz-concert-fundraiser.html.
