The mood was festive and the night starry, as guests arrived at the home of Susie and Alberto Sutton in Allenhurst, NJ to raise funds for the charity Zichron Menachem (ZM). Guests enjoyed sushi, gelato and fruit by the poolside as they learned about the wonderful organization and their mission—to ease the suffering of young cancer patients and their families.
The event aimed at raising funds to support the creation and continuation of recreational programs at ZM’s beautiful Center in Bavit Vegan, Israel, where sick children have the opportunity to continue their studies and take part in recreational activities like sports, art, music and more. Through camps held in spring, summer and winter, the children are also given the opportunity to travel throughout Israel and abroad—to France, Holland and the UK—allowing them to escape their sickness and enjoy various activities.
The evening began with a special thank you from Sam Sutton—a supporter of ZM and good friend of Micky Wassertiel, director of the organization—to Alberto and Susie Sutton for continuing to open their home and hearts to numerous organizations, including ZM.
Alberto Sutton then introduced the first guest speaker of the evening, Dafna Bibi, who came all the way from Israel to share her experience with the crowd. She spoke of her two children, both stricken with cancer, and her experience with ZM. “Had it not been for Zichron Menachem, I wouldn’t have been able to cope or go on,” she said. As she spoke, a slideshow of her children played behind her.
Next, guests watched a video that depicted everything about ZM, from the children, to the hospital, to the trips and how happy they made the children. “They really look forward to these trips,” said Susan Franco, who coordinated the event, with help from party planner Carole Horn, who was a tremendous help. “It’s really a very special thing that they do. It gives the children a reason to go on.”
The next guest speaker, also from Israel, was Yisrael Chaim, a 15-year-old who battled cancer and recently wrote and produced a song about his experience. He shared his song with the guests—the previous year, he was unable to finish his song because he was going through a difficult time, as one of his friends had recently died of cancer. Chaim’s experiences led to a greater belief in G-d, and he strives to help others with cancer by showing them that G-d is there to help them, too.
Zichron Menachem was established in 1990, in memory of Menachem Ehrental, an Israeli boy who battled cancer for over 14 years. Menachem’s parents, together with family and friends, founded ZM, a non-profit organization, aiming to ease the pain of children with cancer, and their families.
Event coordinator Susan Franco discovered ZM on the Yeshiva of Flatbush Chesed Mission to Israel. “The center itself is so beautiful,” said Susan. “It’s a hangout for the kids, and their siblings join them after school. Everyone, the children and their families, receive so much attention there. The volunteers are the best in the country, staying with the children 24 hours a day. And most of all, the children can be themselves, since they are amongst children going through the same thing. They feel comfortable there.”
Upon her return home, Franco decided that she would help ZM in the states. This event was one of many to benefit the organization, and the night was very successful. Zichron Menachem is grateful for the generosity of all the guests, and hosts Susie and Alberto Sutton, for offering their home and sponsoring the event. Because of their donations, ZM will continue to provide a haven for young cancer patients and their families.
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To make a donation, or to learn more about Zichron Menachem, contact Susan Franco at susan4zichron@aol.com, or visit the website at Zichron.org.
