Concert benefits Jacobs Camp relief efforts

On Sept. 29, there will be a benefit concert in New York City to support Hurricane Katrina relief efforts at the Henry S. Jacobs Camp in Utica, Miss.

The camp housed evacuees following the storm, and now houses teams of volunteers working on a wide variety of social service projects in the hurricane-stricken areas. Currently, volunteers from the Union for Reform Judaism are working at a warehouse in Utica which camp director Jonathan Cohen secured as a staging ground for relief supplies. The warehouse project is being called Jacob’s Ladder, and is serving communities throughout the region, especially small, isolated communities underserved by Red Cross and other relief agencies.

The drainage system at the camp’s lake was damaged in the storm, and the lake is now lower by about 5 feet.

The 8 p.m. concert will be at the Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street at Stanton Street. Many New York singers and songwriters will perform to “support a camp just like theirs and pay tribute to their roots as songleaders.”

Joel Chasnoff, an internationally-known comic, will emcee. Performers will include Dan Zweben, Elana Arian, Jay Rapoport, Jen Shankman, Matt Turk, Noam Katz, Paul Kates, Scott Harris, Shira Kline and Naomi Less with Adam Stein.

There will be a guest appearance by Randy and Jason Sklar from “Cheap Seats” on ESPN Classic. They are alumni of Jewish camps.

The event is being sponsored by the Foundation for Jewish Camping, Jacobs Camp New York Alumni, HeBrew Beer, JDub Records, Heeb Magazine and the URJ. The suggested donation for attendees is $20.