Martin Kaye performs for Hindi’s Libraries

A rockin’ good time was had at the Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre as internationally-known and Broadway star Martin Kaye performed a show as a benefit for Hindi’s Libraries on Feb. 15 at the East Rockaway synagogue.

Kaye, who has performed in hundreds of countries and on cruise ships, played Jerry Lee Lewis in “Million Dollar Quartet” both on Broadway and to the West End (London) and Las Vegas shows. Drummer Michael Vetter Jr., guitarist Chris Jusino and bassist Ryan Slavonic accompanied him.     

Kaye and Leslie Gang, a co-founder of Hindi’s Libraries, met 15 years ago and formed a long-lasting friendship. This was the charity’s first-ever benefit concert having to wait through the Covid pandemic. The event also included a cocktail-making demonstration, a VIP meet and greet with Kaye and Miss America Pageant second-place finisher Taryn Delanie Smith spoke about Hindi’s Libraries. 

Hindi’s Libraries was founded in August 2018 as a tribute to Hindi Krinsky, a teacher at the Hebrew Academy of the Five Towns and Rockaway, by her husband, Dovid Kanarfogel and Gang after Krinsky died at 32 after complications from Crohn’s disease that same year. Since its inception, Hindi’s Libraries has collected 400,000 books and partnered with more than 750 organizations worldwide, spanning all 50 states and across the globe.