VALLEY JEWS CELEBRATE UNITY; COMMUNITY JOINS FOR BIGGEST FESTIVAL WEST OF CHICAGO.

Byline: Douglas Haberman Daily News Staff Writer

Valley Jews on Sunday reveled in the rich culture of their community, from Kosher pickles to Moroccan reggae, at the eighth Valley Jewish Festival, the largest outdoor Jewish festival west of Chicago.

More than 25,000 people were expected to attend the event between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on the California State University, Northridge, campus, festival spokeswoman Bonnie Somers said.

``We do it to bring the community together, because we are so diverse yet we are one community,'' she said, as Jews of all stripes - Orthodox, Conservative and Reform, Ashkenazim and Sephardim - enjoyed the event.

The festival also honored organizations for their role in relief efforts in Kosovo. A number of local dignitaries attended the 2 p.m. ceremony, including U.S. Reps. Brad Sherman and Henry A. Waxman, state Sen. Richard Alarcon, state Assembly members Robert M. Hertzberg and Sheila Kuehl, county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, and Los Angeles City Council members Laura Chick and Michael Feuer, Somers said.

Before and after that on the main stage, a variety of groups entertained the crowd, including the rock and ska band Save Ferris, a Jewish dance ensemble and the reggae group Mongoose, whose songs mixed English, Hebrew and French lyrics.

Carnival-style rides enticed small children while a ``teen scene'' area featured amusements that included a Velcro wall, which children wearing Velcro-covered jumpsuits threw themselves against, sticking like flies in a spider's web.

More than 125 booths lined the campus' Sierra Quad, offering everything from information about synagogues, Jewish schools and Jewish organizations to handmade pottery and ``bagel seeds.''

The seeds, small cereal hoops like Cheerios, were a gimmick offered by the San Fernando-based House of Raasche, a wholesale operation selling a variety of Jewish artifacts.

House of Raasche co-owner Andy Mann said the seeds' alleged sprouting ``depends on how many tears drop on them.''

Working a pottery wheel and giving away just-made small vases to mesmerized children, potter Scott Chatenever was hoping to win new customers at the festival. Much of his work on display featured Hebrew inscriptions or Jewish stars.

Chatenever walked away in February from an eight-year career selling industrial equipment to set up a pottery studio in Santa Barbara.

``I tell you, I haven't had one person call me at midnight with a pottery emergency,'' Chatenever said.

Children could do their own craft work at a free booth set up by the Jewish Federation, where they decorated flower pots, plastic wine glasses, candlestick holders and more. There, Britteny Chaffin, 9, of Northridge carefully glued shiny stars and flowers on a Popsicle-stick picture frame in the shape of a Jewish star.

``It's going to be a gift for my dad, because I missed out on his birthday by accident,'' she said.

Stacie and Loren Funk of Encino said they wouldn't miss the festival for the world. They munched on Kosher pickles and other Jewish food on the quad's lawn under the shade of a tree with their 10-month-old son, Jonah.

``I come to support the Jewish community,'' said Stacie Funk.

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PHOTO (1 -- 2) The Rainbow of Life dance ensemble, above, performs at the festival at CSUN on Sunday. At left, kids enjoy a swing ride. The event celebrated Jewish life with dancing, food, rides and booths.

David R. Crane/Daily News