Every summer, a group of men and women add to the fun of being at the Jersey Shore by chartering buses to Atlantic City. Happy faces and big smiles abound, as everyone aboard the bus is excited for the trip and the thrill of trying to make an easy buck. For an hour and a half, they hear and tell jokes, participate in an auction, and split the pot, all of which benefits ORT (Organization for Rehabilitation through Training).

After two days of hard cycling, thirty-eight cyclists led by Abie Maleh and Alan Shamah entered the gates of Camp Simcha to a tumultuous welcome from 120 ill and disabled children and their counselors.

The entrance, which included a long arch of foam rubber noodles held aloft by screaming counselors and campers, hugs and high-fives, left few eyes dry.

The ride, which raised over $200,000 for Chai Lifeline’s activities and programs, was the dream of Elliot Zaks of Lakewood, who shared the idea with Harry Ashkenazi, Abie Maleh, and Alan Shamah of Deal.

Cooking and creating savory and distinctive meals is the forte of the women of our community. Recently, 200 of our community’s women piled into Congregation Brothers of Israel to exhibit their specialty, and contributed their talents and energy by making a meal that feeds recipients of Sephardic Bikur Holim’s Deal Food Pantry.

Our community women may not have yet cooked their own family’s dinner but nevertheless, with their sleeves rolled up, sanitary gloves and hair pulled back, they were determined to cook for those in need. The goal of the classes was to provide food and raise money for a most substantial cause, SBH’s Deal Food Pantry, a non-profit organization which feeds over 1,000 community members. Our food pantry manager, Jean Shiloach expressed, “It’s the worst thing for a mother to go to sleep and worry how her kids are going to eat the next day.”

The Stella Liniado Rainbow Foundation strikes again! Sometimes in life we are dealt a deck of cards that has some that are missing. Our family has been dealt with that deck. It’s three years since our Stella has been gone. We fight everyday to play the right hand. With Stella’s beautiful and powerful spirit, for the last four summers with the help of our beautiful community, we have managed to play the right hand.

So, today Sunday July 11th, after a week of a humid and sticky heat-wave, the weather unusually perfected itself into a cooling and comfortable day. Tablecloths and players T-shirts were painted in bright touches of greens, blues and especially pink! The color scheme formed brilliant rainbows as they reflected onto the JCC walls; it was evident that the 4th Annual Rainbow Sports Tournament had begun! The Rainbow theme illuminated the JCC and guests motivated to support a crucial and valuable cause, which has proven to be successful. With the help of Hashem, SLRF will continue to strive.

This summer our very own “A League of Our Own” baseball league hit Deal, NJ. Every Thursday morning, women of all ages met at Fireman’s Field to play softball. Anyone near the field could hear the laughter and friendships booming and blossoming.

There were four teams this year and every team showed up to win. Competition was fierce. Fittingly the teams were named The Rolling Yebrets, The Mechshe Squashers, The Oots, and The Killer Kusas. The teams; dedicated captains, Michelle Kassab, Renee Dweck, Sarah Abadi, and Jaclyn Cohen all coached their teams beautifully. As the weeks went on, the talent and competition became more evident due to the practices leading up to each week’s game.

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.