A Night Out: Jewish Foundation for Group Homes Gala

Beach Boy Bruce Johnston sings to Jewish Foundation for Group Homes resident Elena Herman during JFGH’s 23rd Annual Gala last night.

Where: Strathmore Hall, Rockville

When: November 2, 2006

Tickets: $175 to $2,000

Funds raised: $1.4 million

Who: Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich, Myrna Cardin (wife of Senate candidate Ben Cardin), Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan, his likely successor Ike Legett, and a who’s who of the area Jewish community.

Real celebrities: Group home residents, many with profound disabilities, who got up on stage or danced in the aisles.

Scene: People donned Washington’s version of California casual to rock with the Beach Boys. Perhaps it shouldn't be too big of a surprise that the suits and ties still outnumbered the Hawaiian shirts. Most of the crowd remembered the Beach Boys before Mike Love went grey and his kid joined him in the act.

Goodies: Beach balls and flip flops.