After a rainout canceled the original event, the Worcester Red Sox were able to celebrate with the Jewish community Jewish Heritage Day in its game against the Rochester Red Wings Thursday, September 24.

“This was a fun way to connect to the newest and most high profile recent development in the city,” said Steve Schimmel, the executive director of the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts. “The ballpark is huge for Worcester, and it’s great to give our community members the chance to enjoy it together.”

Schimmel and the Deputy Israel Counsel to New England, Daniel Agranov, both threw-out the ceremonial first pitch. Over 200 people from the Jewish community were able to come together for the night and celebrate under the Hanover Deck.

 

The group celebrated Sukkot, a holiday that runs this year from September 20 to September 27 and honors the fall harvest as well as the protection Jews had as they left Egypt. They built a sukkah, or a foliage-covered dwelling, to eat under and perform religious acts with the lulav, a frond from a date palm tree, and etrog, a yellow citron.

“Since we are in the middle of Sukkot, we thought it would be a nice touch to have a sukkah so that food may be eaten in accordance with the holiday’s laws,” Schimmel said. “This (allowed people to) have the opportunity to shake the lulav and etrog at a baseball game, and that’s pretty cool. The added benefit of the sukkah was teaching those who might not know about the holiday.”

Students from Clark University’s Hillel also were able to join the event, celebrating the holiday together; eating Kosher food, which Polar Park provides at the WooSox Market on the main concourse; and taking in the game.

“ClarkU Hillel students take pride in and support connections with both the Worcester community around them and the Central Mass Jewish Community,” ClarkU Hillel Director Jeff Narod said. “Support of the WooSox is a natural part of that, and being there with 200 members of the Worcester Jewish Community is important…I take great comfort in knowing that our college students community feel great joy being involved in Jewish Worcester events such as the WooSox Jewish Night.”

It was the first big event that ClarkU Hillel has hosted with the WooSox.

“Jewish Heritage Day was a beautiful way to bring Jews of all backgrounds from the Worcester area together and celebrate our culture,” said Heather Alper, the IACT Coordinator for Israel Engagement at ClarkU Hillel, “We host so many innovative events at ClarkU Hillel, but I never thought we’d have the opportunity to eat in a Sukkah at a baseball stadium.”

There are already talks of celebrating Jewish Heritage Day at Polar Park again next year. 

“It was a pleasure for the WooSox to work with Steve Schimmel and his team from the Jewish Federation of Central Massachusetts this season,” said Joe Bradlee, WooSox VP of baseball operations and community relations. “We are already looking forward to planning our next Jewish Heritage Day at Polar Park in 2022, and are eager to continue to show our support for the Jewish community here in this region.”

While the original game’s rainout postponed the singing of Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, Schimmel hopes that the community choir Shir Joy will perform next year.

“It’s special and important for the community to celebrate Jewish heritage like this, but it’s also good for the ball club and the non-Jewish community to be aware of our Jewish community too,” Schimmel said. “It helps to build bonds and understanding.

The WooSox won against the Red Wings 8-4.