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Besides for the entertainment it provided for hundreds of people on Memorial Day, organizers hope that East Brunswick Tri-Synagogue Family Day gave the Jewish community a preview of the short and long-term plans at The Campus For Jewish Life.

More than 900 people gathered at the 10.5-acre campus on Dutch Rd. May 25 for a day of sports, food and entertainment from 12-6 p.m. Organized by the East Brunswick Jewish Center, Temple B'nai Shalom, and Young Israel of East Brunswick, the event was intended to publicize not only the upcoming summer programs at the Y Country Swim Club, but also the ongoing plans to establish a Jewish community center at the campus.

"When people come and they see the whole community gathered together, they say 'Now I get it! That's why we need a JCC.' It would be great to have programming for the community year-round," Amanda Shechter, president of the campus, said.

Memorial Day's free activities included softball, basketball, tennis, and miniature golf, as well as arts and crafts, blow-up toys and access to the campus playground for children. Sharon Silverman of Hillsborough-based Living at Peace conducted educational drumming circles throughout the afternoon, a Disc Jockey from New York Entertainment gave a dancing clinic, and Ed Goldberg & The Odessa Klezmer Band performed.

"The goal is to have all Jews in this area under one umbrella having a great time together, with no barriers," Rebecca Brenowitz, a member of B'nai Shalom and a primary organizer for the event, said.

Robin Kessler, executive director of the campus, explained that the a committee of 25 people, chaired by Dr. Seth and Taryn Webber, is running a capital campaign for the future JCC, with hopes to secure enough funds within the next year. The JCC, to be called "The Pavilion," will aim to be green friendly by attaining Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) status.

"There is a groundswell of support in the community for a place to congregate," Kessler said.

Keeping in line with the campus' environmentally friendly focus, Jodi Heimowitz of B'nai Shalom donated balloons to Family Day from her daughter Rachel's recent bat mitzvah party rather than the organizers buying new balloons. The Heimowitz family also gave balloons and flowers to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick.

Besides for East Brunswick's Tri-Synagogue Committee participants, a number of other local Jewish organizations set up booths at the event. Chabad-Lubavitch of East Brunswick, Chabad of South Brunswick, and Chabad of North and South Brunswick were all present, as well as BBYO, Solomon Schechter Day School of Raritan Valley, Shalom Torah Academy, Torah Links of Middlesex County, and Hadassah.

"The community did a great job coming together, making everyone feel comfortable and celebrating Jewish heritage," Rabbi Aryeh Goodman, of Chabad of East Brunswick, said.

Food vendors were mostly local, such as Shushan Grill of Highland Park, but the Java Jitney came all the way from Bergen County to sell pizza, sandwiches drinks and other snacks in one of their trademark mobile food carts.

"It's good advertising for us. We are definitely willing to come out to this area [from Northern New Jersey]," Vita Wolinsky, who owns Java Jitney with her husband Steve, said.

For most of the crowd, Family Day was an opportunity to simultaneously have fun and show solidarity for the local Jewish community.

"We came to help our community and to be with other Jews, and to help all the organization and let them know that people are here to support them," Lori Lorsch, a member at Young Israel of East Brunswick, said.

Jeff Klein, a member of Congregation Ohr Torah in Edison, said he never heard about the campus in East Brunswick until his friends told him to bring his children to Family Day.

"I never knew this place existed up until yesterday. It's a beautiful property and the event is very well-planned," Klein said.