There is a long tradition of clowns as entertainers in Jewish culture.
Mitzvah clowns have a tradition of getting dressed up wildly and bringing happiness to senior homes and children’s hospitals to fulfill the Jewish mitzvah (commandment) of bikur cholim (visiting the sick).
Furthermore, many of the early clowns in vaudeville (the entertainment form that was very popular in the United States from the early 1880’s to the early 1930’s) were Jewish — stemming from the shtetls (towns) of Eastern Europe, when badkhonim (Yiddish-speaking court jesters) routinely entertained at weddings.
In this tradition comes the Boca Pointe Clowns on Call, an all-Jewish 12-member clown alley (or group) of which all the members but one live in the Boca Pointe community in central Boca Raton.
The Boca Pointe Clowns on Call are an all-volunteer nonprofit group that appears at schools, camps, senior centers, senior homes, hospitals, parties and other area events.
According to Harriet Rubin (aka Florabelle the Clown), the leader of the group, Boca Pointe Clowns on Call is the only volunteer clown group in all of South Florida.
“Our 12 clown volunteers are all seniors, ranging in age from late 60’s to late 80’s,” Rubin said. “We have been performing clown shows and appearing at a multitude of nonprofit organizations since I first trained the members three years ago.”
The group was very busy recently, performing 10 shows in 10 days right around the week of Aug. 1-7 — which has been designated as National Clown Week since President Richard Nixon first proclaimed it back in 1971.
“Clowns all over the country try to do as many appearances as possible during this time period to spread the joy of clowning to the public,” Rubin said.
Rubin is the most experienced clown in the group, having taken up clowning 25 years ago in Paramus, N.J. as a hobby.
“I took to clowning right away and have been doing it ever since,” Rubin said.
Rubin moved to Boca Pointe full time in 2008 and tried to keep up an active clowning schedule, but she was having difficulty doing that.
So, in October of 2014, Rubin set about to form her own group.
Rubin got permission from Boca Pointe to use a meeting room to hold clown classes — then put up fliers around the community and put an announcement in the Boca Pointe newsletter announcing the availability of classes.
More importantly, Rubin started identifying people in the community she thought would make good clowns. The first person she thought of was Arlene Berkwich.
“I took to this right away,” said Berkwich (aka Cutie Pie). “I am very, very outgoing and have made people laugh my whole life.”
Little by little the group grew and now Boca Pointe Clowns on Call has a solid roster of 12 members.
Eight of those members were present when the group visited the B’nai Torah Congregation Early Childhood Center Summer Camp in central Boca Raton on Monday morning, Aug. 7 in a show for four- to six-year-olds.
Due to their advanced age, the Boca Pointe Clowns on Call don’t rely on acrobatics but rather perform a show filled with clever sketches helped by the addition of many humorous props.
Still, the kids at the B’nai Torah Camp had a great time laughing at these clowns’ antics.
Whether the audience is made up of kids or seniors like themselves, however, the members of Boca Pointe Clowns on Call simply love performing.
EJ Dopkin (aka Silly Dilly) said, “I like to make people happy and give back.”
Barbara Gaynor (aka Perkie the Clown) said, “I like to bring positive energy to people.”
Malkah Schulman (aka Tricki Micki) said, “It’s fun to make other people happy.”
Bob Dodes (aka Frank Furter) said, “I love it. I have a good time. As a retired teacher, I’m used to being in front of a group.”
Joel Meisner (aka JJ the Clown) said, “I like to make people laugh.”
Phyllis Perry (aka Twinkle Toes) said, “Both kids and seniors are great to perform in front of.”
If you are interested in having the Boca Pointe Clowns on Call visit your event or institution for free, email Harriet Rubin at florabelle10@aol.com.