In a few short years, florist Shirley Barnathan has taken the community by storm with her impressive arrays of flowers and plants. Her easy-going demeanor and her ability to get the job done make her a pleasure to work with.

The idea for the business came one day when Shirley was having some friends over. Her mother-in-law, Susan, brought her some beautiful yellow roses, and Shirley had the idea that it would be great if somebody offered an in-home delivery service for flowers.

“At that point, I began a Shabbat delivery service. My husband Joey encouraged me to attend a flower design school in New York City. I listened carefully to what my customers wanted and took it from there,” said Shirley.

With Rosh Hashanah upon us, it is an appropriate time to look back and reflect on all that the Sephardic Community Federation (SCF), the umbrella goverment relations and public policy organization, was fortunate to accomplish on behalf of the community over the past year.

As we prepare to usher in a new year, we not only look back on a productive and fruitful 5770, but we look ahead to 5771 and all the hope and possibilities that it holds for the SCF and the entire community.

Best wishes for a Shana Tova; a happy, healthy and sweet New Year. Shtizku L’Shanim Rabot; may our community merit many more good years together. Please enjoy our look back at the year that was.

Yakir is a seven year old child who has been living at Sanhedria Children’s Home since the spring of 2009. He came to Sanhedria to join his two older brothers, who moved into the house eight years earlier.

Yakir’s father is in jail, and his mother neglected him. Social Services removed him from her custody for a period of time, and then returned him to her on the stipulation that she go to mother and infant services weekly. When Yakir turned six, she lost custody of him altogether and Social Services placed him in Sanhedria, which will be his home for the next 11 years.

What does Colonel Stephen Bernstein of the US Army have in common with two women in Rockland County, NY?

Sara Fuerst and Ava Hamburger, both of Sephardic heritage started an organiation that has been sending food and holiday baskets to US soldiers for the past couple of years.Colonel Bernstein is a recipent of one of these baskets.

As I sit here writing this, I realize how fortunate I was to have Elie Esses as my father. There are not enough words to express his influence on my life. It is through his example that I hope to one day to be the father, husband and grandfather he was.

My father was strict, hardworking, strong, charismatic, loving, gentle, and he had a contagious smile. He loved his family and was deeply devoted to them.

He was committed to the practice and preservation of Jewish life. His fear of G-d influenced everything he did. No one understood the obligation of performing hesed more clearly than my father; it was his life’s mission.

His life was one worth emulating—a life of great faith and generosity, a life of service to others, a life of simple joys. We spoke regularly about our spiritual and communal responsibility as Jews, particularly our responsibilities to G-d, Israel, our community and every person, no matter their background.

New homeowners, design students and community-minded folks came together on a recent evening at the Red Bank, New Jersey showroom of Window Treats Inc. to hear great decorating advice while benefiting a worthy cause.

Elliot Laniado, owner of the custom window fashions business, along with his son, Meyer, teamed up with 180 Turning Lives Around, the Monmouth County social service agency that supports victims of violence, to bring decorating superstar Sally Morse to the store for an evening of “Wine and Design.”

Morse, the national director of creative services at Hunter Douglas and a frequent guest on HGTV, led her audience through what she called “the 10 steps to decorating the perfect room.” She gave great tips, and the event raised money to benefit 180 Turning Lives Around.

Window Treats, a family run business, has always made it a point to be active in the community. Elliot Laniado is part of a local volunteer EMT squad and his son helps local designers increase their businesses with marketing and other business advice. The company frequently promotes charities and organizations that benefit the community.

The Special Children’s Center and You! Together, Making a Difference One Special Child at a Time

Have you ever heard someone say, “It really is all about you.” Well, its true. Now more than ever, it’s up to you to make a difference. It is up to you to care, to give and to act. On July 11th, at Linda and Harold Ebani’s beautiful home in Deal many of you showed up to do just that.

The Special Children’s Center (SCC) was born 13 years ago from the hopefulness and dreams of then-teenagers Jenine Shwekey and Chaya Bender. Determined to help better the lives of a few special-needs children in their neighborhood, they helped mothers after school, during the craziness of bathing and feeding time. They took the children for outings and entertained them. As the amount of kids needing company grew, so did the girl’s ideas, and as more and more people heard about what these girls were doing, ideas became reality.

Recently, Magen David Celia Esses High School principal Richard Altabe, teacher Hagit Hadar, along with 10th grade students, Danielle Gindi, Linda Gindi and Jacqueline Zaccai spent the day in Washington D.C. lobbying on behalf of captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

In the months leading up to the visit, Hadar’s students have followed the captivity of Shalit. Their constant support was apparent in the Salute to Israel Parade, with posters supporting Shalit as well as other captured soldiers. In addition, the girls have been counting each day of Shalit’s captivity, and wore buttons asking to free him.

“Teaching children to become strong advocates for Jewish causes is one of our primary objectives at Magen David Yeshivah,” said Altabe.

iTNT Radio (www.itntradio.com) recently hosted its first annual “18 Under 18 Awards” ceremony at the Sephardic Community Center in Brooklyn, New York. The event honored 18 Jewish high school students from the greater Tri-State area, recognizing them for their outstanding achievements in academics, charitable work, athletics, the arts and extracurricular activities. This new award is designed to seek out and honor those teens who see the value in applying their personal interests, skills, and knowledge toward building a stronger local and universal Jewish community for today’s youth.

iTNT Radio is an online interactive social hub for the young Jewish community. The site launched last year and is successfully run by more than 50 teen volunteers and high school interns. It is a place where they can express themselves through music, blogging, photography and video, while learning about digital media and all that running a radio station and website involves.

“Since the launch of iTNT, we have worked with amazing young talent. These teens are committed, creative, and involved with their community. We wanted to expand our reach, hear from more teens, and create some healthy competition amongst the young Jewish community and did so with the 18 Under 18 Awards,” said Elliott Azrak, founder of iTNT Radio.

It’s Wednesday night, June 30th at 11 pm and I just got in from the Pure Inspiration evening event. We had an amazing turn-out and a good time was had by all! Everyone got a sneak peek at our Chinese Auction and raved! The ticket boxes are filling up already:  the big hits so far are the David Rudy jewelry, the fitness package with the bicycles and elliptical, the iPad, the iMac computer and the Susan Menash portrait sitting. I had at least three guests ask me where they could put their tickets for the floral and crystal sculpture—our gorgeous centerpiece from Peter James Floral (maybe we should have auctioned it off—nah!)

Rabbi Meyer Yedid spoke beautifully, as did our own Rabbi Moshe Douek. We were introduced to the Mayor of Eatontown, Gerald Tarantolo, and could not have asked for two kinder or more gracious hosts than Allegra and Jacobo Cojab; their home looks especially lovely, thanks to all of our hardworking volunteers and we are so moved that they have allowed us to hold this special day in memory of Allegras’ mother, Arlette bat Olga A”H.

The big day is almost here; I’ll pray for sunshine!