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

Judith Shapiro, Steve Cohn, Esther Lustig, BP Markowitz, Malcolm Hoenlein, Bruce Balter, Ella J. Weiss, Michael Weiss and Olga Lipschitz.

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and the Brooklyn Jewish Heritage Committee recently hosted the annual Brooklyn Jewish Heritage Night Salute to Israel ceremony and reception at Brooklyn Borough Hall.

The kindergarten students marching in the Yom Ha’atmaut parade

The morning rain ended, the clouds disappeared and the day began to look brighter as the Early Learning Center students lined up for the annual Yom Ha’atzmaut Parade! The children, dressed in blue and white, waved their Israeli flags and carried original banners as they marched to the spirited music played by Morah Sima Goldofsky. With the addition of Dr. Ruth Katz, Head of School, ELC/ES/MS; Rabbi Avi Bodlander, Assistant Principal and Mrs. Ruchie Czermak, Director of ELC, the parade was complete. An impressive parent audience clapped enthusiastically as the children sang a repertoire of Israeli songs accompanied by adorable choreography. The icing on the cake was actually a cake! A seven-foot-high birthday cake was brought into the gym as the children sang Yom Huledet Sameach to culminate all that they had learned about Israel.

Stephanie Zakay, Mandy Cohen, Rachel Ashkenazi, Aileen Ades, Sharon Dweck, Claire Shamah, Chani Bailey and Nava Beyda

The clouds may have been out, but there was no raining on this parade. A jolt of positive sunny energy was humming within, from the sunny color scheme to the yellow orchids; it was simply paradise on Avenue K at Barkai Yeshivah’s Annual Bake Sale, which took place at the home of Mandy and Michael Cohen. The house was buzzing from nine in the morning until way after school buses took over the side streets.

Kol Israel Congregation commemorated Yom Hashoah with an evening honoring the memories of the six million souls lost to the Holocaust, as well as the survivors that have lived on to tell their stories.

The evening began with an austere candle lighting ceremony, led by the youth of the congregation. Six candles were lit for the six million lost.

“We join our souls with the souls that are no longer with us. We have a commitment to ourselves to do something positive, and to better ourselves. We should be thankful for what we have, the strong ties within our families and friends,” said Rabbi Besser, of Kol Israel Congregation.

Middle Division girls choir getting the audience into the Yom Ha’atzmaut spirit

Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day, is a day that students at Yeshivah of Flatbush always look forward to. After the heartbreaking programs of Yom HaShoah and the emotional ceremonies of Yom Hazikaron, it’s a joy to celebrate the fact that for the past 61 years, the State of Israel has belonged to the Jewish people. And celebrate is exactly what students did.