Jewish teens from around the world will descend on Monmouth County next month for the JCC Maccabi ArtsFest, a weeklong celebration of performing and visual arts.

The Ruth Hyman JCC of Greater Monmouth County is playing host to the festival, and is expecting more than 225 youths to take part.

The JCC in Deal was chosen as the venue for ArtsFest by the national JCC Association, which noted that the center has a state-of-the-art performing arts center and art gallery.

The festival, which will run from Aug. 12 to 17, will include teen performers and artists from North America, the former Soviet Union, and Israel.

The festival will feature performances and master classes in vocal music, acting, musical theater, dance, creative writing, computer graphics, radio broadcasting, jazz, orchestra, rock and pop, and the visual arts. The festival will also feature 10 artists in residence.

"We are committed to education, cultural, and youth programs. With ArtsFest, they are all together in one exciting package," said Jill Garbi, marketing director of the Ruth Hyman JCC. "It also helps us develop a stronger Jewish community; we're all working toward a common goal."

This is the second year for the festival, launched last year in Baltimore as a cultural counterpart to the Olympic-style JCC Maccabi sports competitions. The first ArtsFest attracted about 160 kids from the East Coast.

"This is an opportunity for personal enrichment and consciousness-raising as artists and Jewish community members," said ArtsFest director Lisa Karasic. "It strengthens bonds through art and will help form a stronger connection to Israel and the U.S. Jewish community."

Jess Levy, executive director of the Hyman JCC, said the festival has already resulted in connections with other area organizations. For instance, Monmouth University in West Long Branch is providing classroom space, computer labs, and broadcasting facilities, among other contributions.

Temple Beth Miriam in Elberon is opening its entire suite of classrooms for the musical aspect of the festival — earning it the tongue-in-cheek nickname, "Shul of Rock."

The theme of the festival will be "Bridges," and will encourage activities that explore connections between people, ideas, cultures, and artistic disciplines.

Community service and social action are important aspects of the festival, said Randy Topper, who is heading the Ruth Hyman JCC ArtsFest delegation.

Examples include Days of Caring and Sharing, an afternoon during which the teens will assemble Rosh Hashana care packages and holiday cards for Jewish service personnel stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan and packages for their families back home. There will also be a Community Art Project in which participants involved in visual arts and computer graphics will collaborate in creating a mural that will be donated to Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch.