Temple Sinai hosts Sarasota Jewish Food Festival

By Ian Swaby
| 4:31 p.m. February 1, 2026

Ethan Freeman, 14, Skate Segal, 14, Jett Segal, 12, Florey Miller and her husband TJ Miller were among those serving foods baked by members.

Sarasota
Neighbors

Some of the traditional foods spanning the tables at the Sarasota Jewish Food Festival can be difficult to obtain, said Florey Miller, who manages the goods baked by members of Temple Sinai each year.

Those include treats like hamantaschen, chocolate babka and mandel bread.

However, the 18th annual festival, held at the temple on Feb. 1, was a chance for the public and members of the temple to enjoy those foods.

"This is really special because it's a community event, and it brings all of our members together, as well as people from the Jewish community or outside the Jewish community, to really taste what our food is," said Sherry Thomas, president of Temple Sinai.

She said the event is one of the temple's largest annual fundraisers, with 100 volunteers involved and attendance expected to exceed 1,000 people.

For the second year in a row, the festival was presented in partnership with The Original Wolfie's Restaurant, which offered the help of its staff as well as donations of sandwiches and other dishes.

Attendees could also browse items in an Arts and Treasures Sale and donate to the SunCoast Bloodmobile.

Each year, members of all ages participate in the baking of goods, deciding what items they want to offer.

"Anything that they like will sell," Miller said.

Rabbi Michael Cohen (right), his wife Sharon Poczter, an economist and professor at Yeshiva University, and their daughter Golda Cohen, 1, joined members and attendees at the event.

Violet Holds, 9, and Willa Oliff, 9, of Girl Scouts Troop 924, sell cookies at a vendor booth.

Ron Katz and Tonya Perry of Baca Bread came from North Port to offer challah bread.

Ethan Freeman, 14, Roberta Gerlach, and Skate Segal, 14, package an item.

Marty Richmond accepts a package from Holly Gersh, 13.

Skate Segal, 14, accepts tickets from Charlie and Eileen Miller.

Abe Lederman accepts an item from Ben Yodfat.

Karen Witte showcases jewelry to Howard Polivy.

Igor Barmash, Kevin Feaster, Erin NesSmith and Lauren Cohen interact at a table.

Jeff Silvershein helped to prepare sandwiches.

Tony Griffin and Lisa Silvershein prepare sandwiches.

This year, items featured the names of the members who baked them.

Jeanne Bereznicki and Daniel Honig head out with some tasty picks.

author

Ian Swaby

Ian Swaby is the Sarasota neighbors writer for the Observer. Ian is a Florida State University graduate of Editing, Writing, and Media and previously worked in the publishing industry in the Cayman Islands.