Smiles ‘Lit Up the Afternoon’ At COJO Flatbush Family Fun Extravaganza

“The rain failed to erase the thousands of smiles that lit up the afternoon,” said COJO CEO Louis Welz. “People had the same reaction we see at every Extravaganza when they turned the corner of East 17^th and Avenue M and suddenly a typical city block came alive with the sights and sounds of an old-fashioned country carnival.”

Yes, even an intermittent downpour couldn’t keep throngs of the young and the young at heart away from this year’s annual COJO Flatbush Chol Hamoed Family Fun Extravaganza.

The afternoon was highlighted by live performances from popular entertainers R’ Shloime Taussig, Yisroel Werdyger, Yidi Bialostozky, Gershy Israeli, stunt comedian Wacky Chad, and others. Children enjoyed a special show from Uncle Moishy, a petting zoo with new animals this year, a monkey show, and – because what would a carnival be without them? – balloons and cotton candy and crunchy snacks and fruit and drinks. And every bit of the five-hour Extravaganza was gloriously free, with all of it taking place against a constant soundtrack of lively Jewish music.

Just a partial list of the many rides and attractions would include bumper cars and Bungee jumping and a Choo Choo train and a Round Up Spinner and a Great Slide and a Meltdown and a Dizzy X and rock-climbing walls and Moonwalks.

Welz and COJO Social Services Director Shulamis Shapiro expressed thanks to the NYPD’s 70^th Precinct for providing security for the event from beginning to end, and to DSNY Brooklyn District 14 Superintendent Robert McKenna for “always seeing to it that everything is properly taken care of.”

Welz and Shapiro noted that the Extravaganza was once again made possible by “the tireless efforts of State Assemblymember Simcha Eichenstein and City Councilmember Simcha Felder to secure the funding necessary to ensure its success.”

Noting that “simcha” is the Hebrew word for happiness or joy, Welz said the community “is really blessed to have a double dose of simcha, with Simcha E. always ready to help on the state level and Simcha F. constantly looking out for us on the city level.”

“An event like this,” added Shapiro, “brings the families of our community so much happiness, with no worries about the cost of an entertainment-filled afternoon and with the convenience of a free Chol Hamoed trip right here in their own back yard, sparing them a long and exhausting schlep.”

“It gave us a tremendous amount of pleasure,” said Welz, “especially in these economic times, to know that parents didn’t need to dig deep into their pockets or add to their credit card debt in order to give their families a joyful and memorable experience.”