Much to scarf down at Giants annual Jewish night

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From the pre-game party to the giveaway scarves to the game itself, there will be something for everyone at the fourth annual San Francisco Giants Jewish Heritage Night on Aug. 25.

The Giants will be facing last year’s World Series runners-up, the Colorado Rockies, in a 7:15 p.m. game at AT&T Park in San Francisco.

The Monday event will kick off with a tailgate party in parking lot D from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. He’Brew beer, hot dogs, popcorn and cotton candy will be available, free of charge, to all Heritage Night ticket holders. The famed “Rally Rabbi,” Rabbi Yosef Langer of Chabad of San Francisco, will be on hand.

Meanwhile, in Willie Mays Plaza, there will be dancing and Jewish music by the Ferris Wheels, led by Rabbi Yehuda Ferris of Chabad of the East Bay.

Included in the $20 ticket price is a black and orange scarf. One side has the Giants’ S.F. logo; the other says “Go Giants” in Hebrew.

The idea for the scarf was the winning entry of San Francisco’s Jayson Shmueli, 36, a member of Peninsula Sinai Congregation in Foster City, whose prize includes getting to spend batting practice on the field.

In an open contest, the Giants received 20 to 30 “good ideas,” according to Faham Zakariaei, the team’s special events manager. Entry ideas included a shofar-shaped noisemaker and a menorah with the letters “S.F. Giants” for each candle and a replica of team mascot Lou Seal as the shamash.

Past giveaways for Jewish Heritage Night — a T-shirt, a baseball cap and a bobblehead doll of Rabbi Langer — were devised by the Giants marketing department.

“This year, we wanted to make it more interactive for the fans,” Zakariaei said. “We had a vote among the marketing department. The scarf was the best idea we saw.”

As for the game, a portion of the ballpark’s view reserve seats (upper deck) will be reserved for Heritage Night ticket buyers, and parties of 25 or more will get their group’s name flashed up on the Giants’ HD big screen.

Many Jewish groups — such as the San Francisco JCC, the Albert L. Schultz JCC in Palo Alto and Jews Next Dor — have already purchased tickets and have them available to sell to fans.

Check with your local Jewish group first, or for more information, call Giants ticket manager Craig Solomon at (415) 972-2239, or visit www.sfgiants.com/specialevents.

Last year’s Jewish Heritage Night occurred on Aug. 8, one night after Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s record by hitting his 756th home run. Bonds wasted little time adding to his record on Jewish Heritage Night, launching a two-run shot into McCovey Cove for No. 757 in the first inning of a 5-0 win for the Giants.

The winning pitcher for San Francisco was Matt Cain, who wears uniform No. 18 — a piece of trivia not to be overlooked on Jewish Heritage Night.

The event last year sold nearly 2,900 tickets, a 71 percent jump from the 2006 total of 1,700 Jewish fans. But then again, many fans bought tickets last year anticipating a chance to see Bonds break the record.

Other heritage nights this season include Irish, Italian, African American, Latino and Filipino. Most of the promotions have been held in previous years, but the night after Jewish Heritage Night, there will be an India Independence Day celebration for the first time. African American Heritage Night includes a talking bobblehead of Giants PA announcer Renel Brooks-Moon.