The Jewish Congregation of New Paltz fundraising committee (l-r): Gayle Shankman, Meri Lederer, Ron Simon, Spenser Rohrlick, Marylin DeAngelo and Lisa Randleman. Not pictured: Adele Ruger. (photo by Lauren Thomas)
The Jewish Congregation of New Paltz is going Vegas-style for this year’s annual fundraising event. It will be hosting a Casino Night on March 23 that will include food, music and various casino games including poker, blackjack, craps, roulette and slot machines.
“This is our major fundraiser, and each year we try and do something different,” said Meri Lederer, a board member of the Congregation. The idea to run a casino night stemmed from Lederer’s mother, who passed away last September. “My Mom always ran Casino Nights for the various organizations she volunteered for,” said Lederer. “So we thought this was a great idea and would be fun and attract a lot of people, but it’s also a way of paying tribute to my Mom.”
Tickets for the event cost $50, which get you hors d’oeuvres, live music and $5,000 worth of chips to play the tables. At the end of the night, participants can turn in their winnings for raffle tickets. “We have some incredible raffle prizes that have been donated,” said Lederer, who is the chairperson for this year’s fundraiser.
Some of the prizes include a catered dinner for four at your home by local chefs, dinner at the Culinary Institute of America, tickets to the Bardavon and Ulster Performing Arts Center for the Hudson Valley Philharmonic and overnights at various bed-and-breakfasts, as well as a host of gift certificates to great local restaurants and businesses. The money raised goes toward the Congregation’s general event programming, adult education programs, non-denominational senior lunches and general operational expenses.
“We’re hoping for a great turnout,” Lederer said. “We think it’s going to be a great night, and we have dealers who will help explain the games to people if they’re not familiar with them.”
Casino Night will take place at the New Paltz Jewish Community Center, located at North Chestnut Street, on March 23 from 7:30 until approximately 11 p.m. To get tickets, call the Center at 255-9817 or call Lederer at 797-9963.