Laughing, smiling, playing and enjoying are what summer is all about for our children. Recently, Hillel Yeshiva PTA gave our children the perfect opportunity to do just that. Our second annual Kids Night Out, sponsored by Mollie and Marc Seruya in loving memory of their brother Jeffrey Cohen A”H, was held in the heart of Deal in the home of our gracious hosts, Shula and David Dayan— and what a success it was!
Upon entering their backyard everyone felt as though they had walked into a beautiful rainbow. The colorful tables, balloons, streamers and the magnificent Kid’s Auction were set up as a rainbow theme. A special thanks to Suzi Cohen and Arlette Cohen (Jeffrey’s cousins) for organizing the auction which was our main attraction. There were awesome bicycles, a Cadillac Escalade, a wood swing set, an LCD TV, and much more. Each and every prize was generously donated by different members of the Cohen and Jemal families. By the end of the evening, every box was overflowing with tickets, a sign that Kids Night Out was a true success!
Pizza and drinks were served to the children as they decided which activity to do first. Loren Zeidenfeld was ready and waiting with her amazing “candy” sand art projects and wood treasure chests. Before the official start of the event she already had all the seats filled, another sign of true success for Kids Night Out!
Then a herd of children headed off to watch the zany and funny puppet show. We were forced to move the show indoors because the puppeteer thought there was a threat of rain. He didn’t understand the concept that Hashem was watching over us and there would be no need. Nevertheless, Shula was exceptionally accommodating and the children packed inside to enjoy the wonderful entertainment! The sight of our children’s smiles and the sounds of their laughter was indescribable—still another sign of true success for Kids Night Out!
Bingo was next! Abie Ades, our unbelievable MC, was not expecting so many kids to barge onto the rainbow colored basketball court, but he pulled it off with his outrageous style. Thanks to Terri Cohen, his last minute assistant, Abie (a good friend to Mollie and Marc Seruya) was able to handle hundreds of excited and outgoing kids with a smile on his face that went from ear to ear. The prizes so generously donated by Mr. Morris Franco were incredible. A special thanks to Mr. Franco not only for his generosity but for his constant spirited support for our entire school. He is truly an inspiration. Due to the unbelievable turnout, bingo went on past the event’s scheduled start time—yet another sign of true success for Kids Night Out!
Door prizes were given out every 10 minutes. The place was hopping, the kids were having a blast—it was amazing! It all fit right in with the purpose of the day. Jeffrey Cohen A”H was taken from us at such a young age. He loved children and especially loved to watch them live life to the fullest. May his legacy live on as we watch our children grow and enjoy these precious moments together.
At the end of the day, all 75 pizza pies were sold and all 600 ice cream cups were gone! After the first hour, an amazing 400 art projects were completed. It was an overwhelming turnout!
Hillel PTA worked incredibly hard and did everything they possibly could to make this event the best it could be—all for the sake of our children! We must thank the entire Kids Night Out committee: Sylvia Azoulay, Suzi Cohen, Terri Cohen, Marilyn Cohen, Arlette Cohen, Violet Galapo, Sara Chrem, Vicky Gindi, Iris Massry, Camille Saka, Ellen Sutton, Sophia Serouya, Grace Serouya, Mollie Seruya, Michelle Zekaria, Lori Rofe, Elizabeth Beckerman and Loren Zeidenfeld.
Watch for next years Kids Night Out! It promises to be even more exciting and well-prepared. This year more than 800 kids attended. Because of the efforts of Hillel’s PTA and all the children, Kids Night Out was definitely a huge success!
_______________
Ellen Sutton is a former Hillel PTA president. She has three children attending Hillel Yeshiva. She is now an active member of the Board of Directors and Board of Education.
