Kids and adults poured toppings onto their frozen yogurt in Rockville last week, as they socialized with other Jewish families.
For 7-year-old Adi Yitzhaky, it was Fruity Pebbles in her cookies and cream, birthday cake swirled yogurt.
“I like ice cream better,” she admitted. “But whenever we buy frozen yogurt, there’s always candy to put on top, so I like both.”
About 10 families had gathered to eat treats, do a craft and listen to a book reading at Tutti Frutti in Pike & Rose. Children sat with their messy cups and spoons, at tables decorating little tote bags to take home.
The event was part of the Sweet Summer Series, sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and PJ Library. The series offers pop-up events around Greater Washington this summer.
For some families, it’s their first Jewish program, said Sarah Rabin Spira, manager for PJ Library. “It’s pretty low barrier, like, ‘Sure I’ll take my kids out for ice cream during the summer.’”
The parents here, whose children ranged in age from 1 to 11, said the event was a nice opportunity for some summer fun with their kids. Adi’s mom, Davida Yitzhaky, was looking for an activity for her three children.
“It was an opportunity to get out and do something fun with an organization that we like to support,” she said, noting that her family already has a “nice crew of Jewish families.”
Erica Malet, 11, opted to get a honey oolong milk bubble tea from the adjacent Kung Fu Tea. “Ice cream — I just like it better. Frozen yogurt really hurts my stomach more than ice cream,” she said. Her 8-year-old sister, Olivia, who was drawing a sun with a crown on her tote bag, said she preferred yogurt.
David and Felicia Braunstein said they are often attend Federation programs.
“It’s inclusive, so that we can bring other friends also that might be — you know, one partner might not be Jewish, but they feel comfortable going there with their child,” said Felicia.
Their daughter, Skyler, stuck with the fruit theme for her frozen yogurt: watermelon and mango sorbets with cherries and jelly bubbles.
About halfway into the event, RabinSpira gathered the families outside for a reading of “Baxter, the Pig Who Wanted to Be Kosher.” Families laughed and staved off the heat with their frozen treats as they heard about a pig desperately trying to be included at the Shabbat dinner table — as a guest, not a meal.
jhyman@midatlanticmedia.com
