Clover Farms (now Stew Leonard’s) had a milk vending machine on Riverside Avenue. Il Pastaficio has a machine that sells fresh pasta — the first in the world, owner Federico Perandin says.
So it should be no a surprise that Temple Israel has launched the world’s first Jewish vending machine.
But it is.
Rabbi Michael S. Friedman calls the machine “a one-stop shop for living a Jewish life. It puts Jewish rituals in easy reach, providing a simple yet profound way to engage with Jewish tradition.”
The machine vends a variety of Jewish items, from Shabbat candles and mezuzah scrolls to Israeli snacks.
Assistant Rabbi Zachary Plesent adds, “At Temple Israel, we’re not just embracing innovation; we’re making it a tangible part of our community. This Jewish vending machine physically manifests our commitment to making Jewish tradition accessible to everyone.”
Everyone is invited to see and enjoy the Jewish vending machine. It’s inside the building, near the stairs.
Rabbi Michael Friedman, with the world’s first Jewish vending machine.
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Last weekend, the New York Knicks came to the Westport Weston Family YMCA.
Okay, actually it was a Jr. Knicks youth basketball clinic for young Y players, in collaboration with the Westport PAL.
Still, it was a great chance for kids to dribble and shoot with the Jr. Knicks’ best.
And legend John Starks was there, talking with kids, signing autographs and posing for photos.
As a Jr. Knicks affiliate, the Westport Y will host similar programs in the future.
John Starks (baseball cap, gray sweatshirt) and friends, last weekend at the Westport Weston Family YMCA.
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“Along the Lines” — the Connecticut Department of Transportation podcast — recently hosted Matt Pentz.
The Norwalk Transit District CEO discussed “micro-transit” — including its place in Westport. (Norwalk Transit operates Westport’s buss.) Click here to listen. (Hat tip: Sal Liccione)
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If you love remember and/or love Coney Island — and who doesn’t? — you’ll enjoy Robin Jaffee Frank’s 2-part look at the historic site.
On April 4 and 11 (6:30 p.m.), she’ll be at the Westport Museum for History & Culture. Her talks are in conjunction with the museum’s “Playful Pastimes” exhibit.
Building on Frank’s exhibition and book “Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland,” Frank will explore Coney Island’s appeal as a subject for artists and filmmakers, from the Civil War to today.
“Their visions of Coney Island imagined the future and later recalled the past, conveying changing ideas about leisure, and exploring the mixing of people of different races, ethnicities, classes, and sexual orientations, transcending social boundaries,” Frank says.
Click here for tickets, and more information.
The cover of Robin Jaffee Frank’s book.
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Three of Artists Collective of Westport member Béatrice Crane-Baker’s works have been chosen for a Connecticut Center for Contemporary Printmaking show in Norwalk. It runs from June through August.
When it closes some of the prints may go the Litho Werkstatt in Berlin, part of a swap arrangement between the German gallery and the printmaking non-profit.
Monoprint (Béatrice Crane-Baker)
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Barry Kresch provides today’s “Westport … Naturally” photo.
He says “She thought hanging out on my porch was just ducky on yesterday’s rainy Saturday.”
(Photo/Barry Kresch)
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And finally … when you saw “Coney Island,” you knew this was coming, right?
(Whether you’re from Brooklyn, or you’re a Westport native, or landed here from anywhere else: You’re part of this “06880” online community. Please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Actually, the prints from Norwalk will go to Germany and the German prints will come here. The name of the show is SWAP.
the Jewish vending machine should have lox ?
That will be in the Jewish Food Vending Machine 😉
Charles Rosoff
Lox ,cream cheese, and onion on a salted bagel. It’s been way too long since I had that!
I grew up in Coney Island thankfully.