We saw the ovens of the crematorium, the guard towers, the barbed wire fences, the foundations of barracks that once held people in the most unimaginable conditions. These sights have not lost their horror with the passage of time. More than half a century later, our grief and our outrage over what happened have not diminished. I will not forget what I’ve seen.

I’ve known about this place since I was a boy, hearing stories about my great uncle, who was a very young man serving in World War II.  He was part of the 89th Infantry Division, the first Americans to reach a concentration camp. They liberated Ohrdruf, one of Buchenwald’s sub-camps.

On Monday of Memorial Day weekend, yet again, DSN gave our families a place to be! At Deal School on Roseld Avenue, Deal Sephardic Network threw a fun event to get the summer started right!

“DSN really nailed it this time!” said Elliot Braha. The all day event began in the morning with a Zumba-thon for the women—one and a half hours of music, 3 instructors, and a basketball court filled with ladies— and that was just in the morning!

Recently, Congregation Shaare Shalom held their 10th anniversary dinner in honor of Rabbi Joseph Dweck, in the elegant hall of the Sephardic Lebanese Congregation. Members of the synagogue and other well-wishers from the community filled the room, excited to be there to show respect for Rabbi Dweck and to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Shaare Shalom.

The congregation was established 10 years ago as a small minyan in a house. As soon as young Rabbi Dweck became hazan, it began to grow. Torah classes immediately followed and the youth minyan was formed.

Lottie Chalom A’H

In hospitals and health care systems in many parts of the world, medical centers are not sufficiently staffed to care for all the patients’ needs. Family and friends come to the hospital to give moral support and to keep patients company.

In Israel, except in extreme cases, the health care system is inherently based on family and friends of the patients assisting with their basic needs, which necessitates the full time presence of a companion to be with the patient 24/7.

Celebrating Jerusalem Day at the Western Wall

At a Jerusalem Day celebration commemorating the events of 42 years ago that reunited Israel’s capital, a vast array of Israeli political and rabbinic leaders vowed to support a united Jerusalem. The highlight was when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu forcefully declared that Jerusalem will not be divided. The event took place at Yeshiva Merkaz Harav Kook, where eight young students were brutally murdered on March 6, 2008 by an Arab gunman.

My son Abe is an adorable, smart and active child who attended one of the local yeshivahs. Things weren’t going well though. I was getting reports from the school that Abe couldn’t sit through circle-time or complete his assignments. No one knew what to do with him. He was not benefitting from his setting. With guidance from the school, I knew what I had to do. SEAD was the answer.

Maggie, Jamie and Lorraine Bawabeh, with Joy and Sarah Laniado

On a recent Tuesday evening, Magen David’s 6th grade girls celebrated the wonderful bond that is shared only between a mother and daughter. After many months of preparation, the girls were excited to perform before their mothers, aunts, sisters, grandmothers and even great-grandmothers.

To begin the 8th annual celebration, Rabbi Baruch Hilsenrath, Principal of Magen David, and Rabbi David Sultan, Assistant Principal, addressed the guests.

David “Hurdle” Tawil, Marshall Mizrahi and Gail Cohen

With the intimacy of a comedy club, the Encore School of Music presented a successful and thoroughly enjoyable evening of humor. With three community comedians to enjoy and formal introductions in between comics, the Encore School of Music’s evening of “Comic Relief” was a truly entertaining night.

Held on a recent Saturday evening, “Comic Relief” featured community comedians David “Hurdle” Tawil, Gail Cohen and Marshall Mizrahi. “Comic Relief” was the sixth of seven events held this spring, through the Encore School of Music. The dating scene played a large role in the monologues, amongst other topics.

Ladies Auxiliary President Stephanie Sharaby with President-Elect Terry Shalom

The Yeshivah of Flatbush Annual Ladies Auxiliary Edith Wachsman A”H Memorial Bake Sale and Chinese Auction was graciously held at the home of Betty and Allen Esses, in honor of Betty’s parents, Sari and David Hedaya and Allen’s mother, Grace Esses, and in memory of Allen’s father, Norman Esses, A”H.

Tips for discovering the key to living a stress-free life were abundant at the two-day event. During the evening reception, Joel Braverman High School Dean of Students Rabbi Naftali Besser gave advice for speaking to your children when you are under stress. Instead of raising your voice, let your children know, in a calm way, what is going through your mind. When children understand why you are upset, they will respond more positively.

Assemblyman Cymbrowitz welcoming Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes, who participated in the opening ceremony

Hundreds of people recently participated in the Sixth Annual Lena Cymbrowitz Community Health Fair, sponsored by Assemblyman Steven Cymbrowitz, Maimonides Medical Center, Health Plus, Beth Israel, Courier-Life Publications and Kiwanis International.

Exhibits from the Afikim Foundation

In honor of Yom Hashoah, Magen David Yeshivah held a moving memorial program. As each year passes and the survivors of the Holocaust grow few, it becomes even more important to share their memories and stories— significant parts of our history that we must never forget.

Before the program began, guests were invited into the gym to view a special presentation compiled by the 8th grade students. Working in groups, the students created artwork, multi-dimensional museums, PowerPoint presentations and dioramas that were truly outstanding, and a credit to the students and their teachers. Special exhibits were displayed from the Afikim Foundation.

An extremely important bake sale was held recently to raise money for the Rofeh Cholim Cancer Society. The event was held in the lovely home of Rachel and Alan Fallas to let everyone know about the wonderful work this organization is doing to help and guide cancer patients.

Hosts Rachel and Alan Fallas

Rabbi Rosenshein

Rofeh Cholim Cancer Society (RCCS) was founded in 1997. Since then, the organziation has saved thousands of lives by assuring its patients access to the best medical care possible. The RCCS helps cancer victims secure the finest health insurance policies possible. They provide financial assistance to maintain these policies and provide a medical directory. They keep patients abreast of the newest and most effective cancer treatments and are advocates for the patient and his or her entire family.

Rabbi Eli Mansour

Valerie Greenstein and Margo Zarif

Sheila Schweky, Moe Tawil, Assemblyman Dov Hikind and Shoshana Hikind, executive Vice President of the ­Jerusalem Reclamation Project

The Sephardic Community Center celebrated Yom Ha’atzmaut with a festive and joyous celebration commemorating Israel’s 61st anniversary.

After Arbit, the evening began with a ceremony in honor of Yom Hazikaron. President Jack Cayre greeted the audience. “Yom Ha’Atzmaut is a very important day for our community,” he said. “I would like to thank all of the shuls that sponsored tonight’s event, as a united community. We join in solidarity with our brothers and sisters of Eretz Israel. Their joy is our joy.”

Inspired amateur theatre came to Deal, New Jersey this spring, as the talented thespians of Hillel Yeshiva’s High School Drama Club excelled in their production of Woody Allen’s Don’t Drink The Water. Audiences could not stop laughing at the amazing performances onstage.

Elliot Antebi, Joey Bouganim, Doreen Zehavi, Adam Nasar and David Winitsky

Joey Sultan, Raymond Chalme and David Winitsky

Father Drobney, played by Zach Winzelberg, narrated the events on stage in a charismatic fashion with entertaining card tricks and magic acts. The play’s plot was familiar to many audience members: the story of the Hollander family, a New Jersey family caught behind the Iron Curtain in an unknown Communist country during the 1960s. Communist police chased the family and mistakenly believed them to be American spies. David Winitsky, a senior, had the audience roaring with laughter with his portrayal of Walter Hollander, the patriarch of the family. Yvette Halawani, a junior, proved a perfect foil for David with her witty repartee as Walter’s wife, Marion Hollander. The sparks flew between them, and their superb acting had us actually believing they were married. Susan Cohen, a junior, completed the family as the Hollander’s daughter, Susan. Together the family managed to cause total disruption as unintentional guests of the American Embassy.

Maurice Rahmey, Natan Davydov, Andrew Conegliano and David Conegliano

Zachary Winzelberg, Yvette Halawani and Fortune Haber