Praises for PurimPalooza Party

Thanks to Brady Gill and the Forest Foundation's hard work we were able to usher in another massive Jew party in this city by the bay. We got a great deal on renting out The Canvas Gallery - a classy joint just blocks away from the house I grew up in and where my parents still live. With 150 humentaschen laid out for the ensuing crowd we got the evening started with a schticky Jewish Surf Rock band called Meshugga Beach Party. They effectively got the party rolling with lightening fire licks on songs like "Niggun Atik" and "Mayim Mayim" and the horah dancing was not far behind.

A brief clown act laid the way for all star DJ's Teeko and Max Kane of 4oneFunk. Teeko - also known as Shimon - also known as my best friend since Kindergarten - has done 2 apples n honey shows in the Bay Area including one in our house last October that was off the hinges.

The best part of the whole evening was that because of the generous money put out by the Forest Foundation we were able to have all proceeds picked up at the door go directly to former students of mine in Kenya. In 2003 I taught math at a high school in a rural village called Shikokho in the Western Province for 6 months (left - where's waldo?). Since then I've been raising money when I can to help my former students continue with their high school education (which is not free in Kenya and is inaccessible to many of the children of subsistence farmers) and even for a few of the most talented to continue on with University and trade schools. We raised nearly $500 at the door which will put a student through almost a full year of University.

Thanks much to the Forest Foundation for making this all possible. Chag Purim Sameach!!