Rapper T-Boogie speaks his mind and entertains the crowd at a recent NJ All Stars Talent Show.

Over 100 young people came to the New Jersey All Stars talent show on May 10 to participate as performers both off and onstage in Barringer High School’s auditorium.  An eclectic array of performers ranging from gospel singers to drill teams to reggae artists performed, and a volunteer team of young people tried on new roles as emcees, ushers, sound assistants, greeters, and more.  

The NJ All Stars has also been partnering with the Jewish Community Center (JCC) MetroWest to produce a program called Project Kavod since November 2007.  The 15 teenagers who have participated come from suburban towns such as Whippany and West Orange, as well as inner cities like Newark and East Orange.  Over the last four months, these teens have eaten Shabbat dinner together and gone to the Liberty Science Center to learn about race and how America classifies and treats people of color.  They have explored the topic of oppression by performing scenes with one another, and have had hours of discussions on topics like stereotypes, religion, rap music, immigration, and Barack Obama.  Most recently, young people from both organizations represented Project Kavod at the All Stars Project’s National Gala to present the first annual All Stars Bridge Building Award for Leadership in Community Relations to Howard Teich. Mr. Teich serves on the Advisory Board of the New York Board of Rabbis and co-chairs the NYC Jewish History and Heritage Map Project.  He is one of the unsung heroes of community bridge building and has taken a lead role in intergroup relations, building and maintaining bridges between the Black and Jewish communities.

For more information about All Stars programs in Newark, NJ, please contact Gloria Strickland at (973) 622-5506, ext. 305.