The 12^th Annual Jewish Music & Cultural Festival (JMAC) was held on Sunday, September 25, 2011 from noon to 6 pm on the campus of the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse. This year everyone was invited to celebrate the upcoming Jewish New Year at the festival!

Several thousand people enjoyed an afternoon of music by internationally known artists Atzilut, ZETZ! and Susan Gaeta, as well as local favorites Keyna Hora Klezmer Band, Jonathan Dinkin and Klezmercuse, and the Kenesseth Shalom Singers, to name a few.

One of the highlights for the festival was the selection of (Vaad supervised) Kosher Jewish foods, including brisket, corned beef, knishes, hot dogs, falafel, kugel, Israeli chopped salad and... the deep-fried Matzo Balls!

Many attendees had a chance to visit the Community tents sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Central New York, featuring Jewish organizations along with area synagogues. Plus another highlight at the festival was “Rosh Hashanah on the Lawn at the Rabbis Corner”, where Central New York rabbis shared different aspects of the upcoming holidays.

As always, there were activities for children of all ages; an interesting & eclectic array of artisans; and other vendors.

The festival was sponsored in part by the Jewish Federation of Central New York; a state grant secured by Senator John A. DeFrancisco; the Cultural Resources Council; a Pennsylvania Performing Arts on Tour (PennPAT) grant, the Pomeranz Fund, the Jewish Community Center of Syracuse, Paul B. & Georgina H. Roth Charitable Foundation, the city of Syracuse Parks and Recreation Department and the Neulander Family. Corporate sponsors include: Price Chopper, Tiffany’s Catering, Raymour and Flanigan, M&T Bank, Key Private Bank, and Exhibits & More. Media sponsors include Time Warner Cable, “Eagle Newspapers,” SUNNY 102,  “Syracuse New Times;” Syracuse.com, WAER, and the “Jewish Observer.”