On Sunday, August 18 the Westchester Jewish Council held its 48th Westchester Jewish Music & Arts Festival at Kensico Dam Plaza. The morning’s torrential rainstorms didn’t hold back hundreds of attendees nor the performances by bands, dancers, jugglers and puppeteers. The plaza was lined with vendors’ tents and food trucks.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer noted: “Who says a little rain can dampen the spirits of the Jewish community in Westchester County? I am among friends, people who believe that Westchester is an all-inclusive community. ‘We’—that begins the word ‘Westchester.’ And in that combination, we stand up for all of the different elements that make up this mosaic in Westchester County … This Jewish community has made much of the success of this county.”
County Legislator Judah Holstein stated: “We are in fractured times. We are in troubled times, horrible times that we need to move forward, come together, coalesce, make ourselves heard, grow together and find the partners to support us, like our friends in Westchester County.” New Rochelle Mayor Yadira Herbert-Ramos said: “I’m proud to be the mayor of a city with six synagogues. We love our Jewish community. Am Yisrael Chai.”
Executive Board Member Stu Seltzer presented musician Ondrasik (also known as Five For Fighting) with the Alfred and Constance Weissman COURAGE Award. Seltzer explained: “Alfred and Connie Weissman were never silent bystanders and were always strong supporters of Jewish causes and American causes. Alfred was a decorated U.S. Army veteran who served in World War II and remained supportive and involved in the U.S. Army 10th Mountain Division. Alfred and Connie were also strong supporters of many Jewish organizations including AIPAC, Friends of the IDF, UJA-Federation and many others. The Westchester community was blessed to have their leadership, and we are blessed to have their family members carry on the tradition of not being silent bystanders and being strong supporters and leaders of Jewish and Israeli causes.
“John Ondrasik is not a silent bystander. The Jewish world is better off because of that.” Seltzer listed three reasons why the singer-songwriter is deserving of the award. First, he wrote a song in memory of October 7 victims called “Okay.” Second, he noted how many in the music industry aren’t brave enough nor courageous enough to go to Israel and perform. Third, Seltzer cited the Wall Street Journal op-ed Ondrasik wrote on America’s invisible hostage crisis in Gaza, where he calls on all Americans to know the names of those held hostage by Hamas terrorists.
Ondrasik began: “It’s unfortunate that I even have to get an award for this. It’s not right that I’m an anomaly in the music business.” He explained that the song “Okay” was inspired by a speech New York Mayor Eric Adams gave soon after October 7.
“I wrote this song about what’s been going on. It’s called ‘Okay,” but the theme is, really we’re not okay.” Ondrasik released a video of the song, with clips from October 7, that was shared on social media. “I got a very quick sense of what it’s like to be Jewish in 2024—the vitriol, the threats. I’m not Jewish. In my mind, you don’t have to be Jewish to condemn the evil that is Hamas. You just have to be human.
“I know many of you feel abandoned by the arts, by your favorite artists, because you have been. The music industry likes to pride itself on being the front foot of human rights throughout history: civil rights songs in the 60s, Live Aid, Sun City, the Concert for New York. But their silence is a historical disgrace.”
Ondrasik added: “The last image of my video is Martin Luther King’s quote ‘Silence in the face of evil is complicity.’ Sadly, there’s a hell of a lot of complicity in the arts. But, we’re not hiding in our caves. We are moving forward, going on offense. We’re putting together concerts to go to these campuses and face down the bullies.” Ondrasik told how he’s going to MIT with Matisyahu and Idan Raichel. On Labor Day, he’ll join John Rich and Lee Greenwood in North Carolina to support the frat boys who rescued the U.S. flag during an antisemitic rally.
Ondrasik’s final message was, “We’ll be launching a yellow ribbon campaign, to have yellow ribbons around every tree in every park in America. Put the faces to the names of the hostages. Hersh, Edan, Keith, Sagui, Omer, I want every American to know their names.”
Also performing at the Westchester Jewish Music & Arts Festival were Six13, Elijah and the Not-For-Prophets, The Levins, Ohh-Lam Collective, Israeli Dancing with Leng, WonderSpark Puppets, Kol Hazzanim, and magician Ned Gelfars.
