The battle is on! That was the attitude of the players at the third annual Special Education Academy of Deal (SEAD) football tournament, affectionately known as the Battle of the Gridiron SYs. The tournament was held on the corner of Park Avenue and Ocean Avenue in Deal, NJ, recently.

SEAD is a special education program, started by Morris A. Cohen, that is available to the children of our community who have learning disabilities, such as Down syndrome, and other neurological challenges. Since its founding, SEAD has given neurologically impaired children the opportunity to attend a school where their special education and therapeutic needs can be catered to, in a mainstream environment. The school currently holds 25 kids, five in each class. The goal of the program is to integrate these chidren into mainstream schools. Special education costs are very high and could well exceed $30,000 per child annually, depending on individual needs. Every teacher is trained and certified in special education and is dedicated to their field. Classroom instruction is set by specialists of various disciplines: physical, occupational and speech therapy, behavior modification, socialization and recreation. SEAD is located in Eatontown, NJ.

My nine-year-old sister, Pearly, participated in the JCC’s very own production of High School Musical. I’ve never seen the movie and unfortunately, I’ve never been to any of the JCC’s plays before this one. Luckily, I had the opportunity to see this spectacular show. I couldn’t, and wouldn’t miss Pearly’s onstage debut as a brainiac/thespian.

She had attended every practice religiously since February, coming home as late as 10 pm from practice and toppling into the nearest chair, exhausted. But as the day of the play approached, she couldn’t have been more excited.

The play was not only my little sister’s debut, it was also good wholesome family entertainment.

Irv Safdieh and Paulette Grazi

ABananagrams and backgammon tournament was recently held at the home of Claire Cohen, to raise money for Yad Eliezer. Nissim Alouf, one of the organizers of the tournament, spoke of the importance of Yad Eliezer, saying, “Yad Eliezer is a tremendous and awesome organization that feeds the hungry in Israel in an anonymous way where the people don’t feel like they’re getting a hand out and the kids don’t realize their parents are poor. It basically instills confidence in their lives, and they’re not wondering where their next meal will come from.” David Cohen added, “Yad Eliezer is a great organization which feeds a lot of people, and Baruch Hashem, from all the money we raised at the tournament we can continue feeding our brothers in Israel.”

Yad Eliezer is the largest anti-hunger agency in Israel. It began around 1980 in the kitchen of the Weisel family in Jerusalem. They prepared a food basket for a neighbor who could not feed her children, and were soon delivering monthly food baskets to hungry families. Their website states that Yad Eliezer has now grown to encompass 15 primary economic and social service programs that impact tens of thousands of individuals.

Parents for Free Choice in Education celebrated Independence Day by holding a rally for school choice at the Leon and Toby Cooperman JCC, in West Orange, New Jersey. The event brought together leaders and activists of the school choice movement, for the purpose of publicizing and educating voters on the issue and launching a grass roots effort for national legislation to implement the plan proposed by the late economist Milton Friedman for universal school choice.

Rabbi Shea Hecht, CEO of the National Committee for the Furtherance of Jewish Education, opened the program by urging the assembled to take on the challenge. “We owe it to the children to do whatever we can to improve their educational opportunities,” he said.

Recently, the Sephardic Community Center held its Sports Scene event at the Cayre Beach in Deal, NJ. The day was filled with fun and excitement. Delicious food was catered by Ouri’s Catering, music was provided by DJ Joco and Ike and famous athletes mingled with the community. The beach was beautifully decorated and the event was very well-organized.

Kids and their dads learned the fundamentals of football, baseball and basketball including, passing, throwing and teamwork at exhilarating sports clinics. Other kids donned huge air gloves and challenged their friends to ‘blow up’ boxing in a big boxing ring.

Dr. Eli Rosen addresses the crowd

Recently, GoKosher.org held its first annual dinner celebrating 20 years of koshering America’s kitchens. Those attending also paid tribute to over 10,000 individuals and families who have turned kosher over the years.

The dinner took place at the Jewish Children’s Museum in Brooklyn, NY, with over 250 people in attendance.

The honorees were: Rabbi Yisroel Gordon, rabbi, educator and the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s shliach (representative) for over half a century. He received the Rabbinical Leadership Award.

It was a beautiful day in Deal as our community’s young adults battled head to head in the A TIME Basketball Tournament, run by Caryn Lubin, Daniel Missry and Vicki Ades. Boys and girls ages 18 and up were allowed to register, and the tournament started early in the day in order for everyone to have ample time to play.

A TIME (A Torah Infertility Medium of Exchange) is the world’s largest organization that provides the many services necessary to help infertile couples. A TIME began in the early ’90s with a handful of services. In 1993 their first magazine was published, full of cutting edge articles, poems and information on the newest medical procedures and techniques, written by individuals dealing with infertility. Their current circulation reaches as far as Bombay, India. Their help line is perfect for couples who are looking for someone to talk to, as well as the right medical referrals and important medical information. A TIME’s website attracts over a thousand visitors a day, where there are world-renowned doctors available to answer questions online at any time. You can visit it at Atime.org.

Students, parents, alumni, faculty and administration celebrated nearly 100 years of commitment to Jewish values and education at Yeshiva University High Schools’ (YUHS) annual dinner of tribute at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square, recently.

YU President Richard Joel

Dr. Edward Berliner of West Orange, NJ was honored as Faculty Member of the Year by YUHS, which is comprised of Yeshiva University High School for Boys/The Marsha Stern Talmudical Academy (YUHSB) and the Samuel H. Wang Yeshiva University High School for Girls (YUHSG).

Dr. Berliner teaches calculus and AP physics at YUHSB and serves as the executive director of science management and clinical professor of physics at YU.

Asael at the Israeli airport

Tragedy struck Asael Shabo, when he was 10 years old, in 2002. He was at home with his three brothers, Nerya, 15, Tzvika, 12, and Avishai, 5, and his mother. It was a cool summer night, he and his brothers were watching TV, while his mom cleaned the kitchen.

At the same time a Palestinian terrorist was about to burst through the doors of their home, shattering his life forever. The terrorist murdered Asael’s brothers, and his beloved mother. Asael was badly hurt, but played dead behind the couch and waited for soldiers to rescue him. “I knew Avishai died, because I heard him stop crying,” said Asael.

Asael lived through the attack, but his leg had to be amputated. He thought he would never be able to do the things he loved again.

On The Stella Liniado Rainbow Foundation’s (SLRF) website, www.StellasRainbow Foundation.org it says, “When you lose your parents you are an orphan. When you lose your spouse you are a widow(er). There is no name for a parent who loses their child because it is just too unspeakable.”

Sadly, the SLRF began in February 2007 when six-and-a-half-year-old Stella Liniado lost her fight with Leukemia. “When Stella got sick it was hard to believe. She was not in pain and she never complained!” says her mother, Mary. “Stella always loved rainbows; she was all about rainbows. She was our rainbow.”

Recently, The Stella Liniado Rainbow Foundation held it’s Second Annual Rainbow Tournament featuring basketball and tennis for boys and girls in grades 9 through 12, at the home of Valery and Scott Dweck on Candy Lane.

Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie, SCF Co-Chairman Haim Dabah and SCF Trustee Jeff Sutton presenting the Jacob Barsimon award to NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly

New York City Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly recently visited members of New York’s Sephardic community at the Sephardic Community Federation annual board of directors meeting. He gave a top-level security briefing about the efforts undertaken by the NYPD to keep New York City safe and secure from terrorist attacks in the wake of the horrific events of September 11, 2001. At the event, Commissioner Kelly was presented with the Sephardic Community Federation’s Jacob Barsimon Award for his efforts on behalf of the Sephardic community. The SCF is the umbrella government relations and public policy organization of the Sephardic Jewish community.

The SCF’s annual event featuring Commissioner Kelly was hosted by Jeff and Rachel Sutton, who opened their home to the more than 100 Sephardic community leaders in attendance. The graciousness of the Suttons, who are prominent community leaders renowned for their hesed, enabled Commissioner Kelly and the other community leaders to enjoy a wonderful and informative evening.

Some of the world’s leading researchers will converge in Mexico City in September for an International Congress on Syrian Jewry in the American Diaspora. The schedule of speakers and topics promises to be one of the most enticing for Syrian history buffs.

Sponsored by Banque Safdie, the Congress is organized by Alianza Monte Sinaí (Damascus and Lebanese Jewish community); Comunidad Maguén David (Aleppan Jewish community); Universidad Hebraica (higher education institution of the Jewish community in Mexico); Jewish Culture Program at the Universidad Iberoamericana (program that fosters the development of Jewish culture at the Iberoamericana University); and the Sephardic Latin American Federation.

Lottie in her kitchen

Lottie Chalom A”H and her kitchen were good friends. She could always be found busy there, creating her latest dish. Throughout her lifetime, Lottie used her kitchen as her tool for hesed, giving to others. An acquaintance, friend, or family member would often find comfort and some humor served alongside one of her home baked pastries, usually fresh from the oven. A new bride called up Lottie for advice as she was having guests for the first time. Not only did Lottie share her ideas, she also made sure to drop off some of her own treats to help the young woman’s uneasiness with her first-time entertaining.

Lottie’s four daughters absorbed her message. When their dear mother passed away, Susan Menashe, Nina Cohen, Linda Dayan and Claudia Bildirici established Lottie’s Kitchen in Jerusalem, under the auspices of Ezer Mizion. Thousands upon thousands of people in Israel benefit from Lottie’s Kitchen, amongst them—the ill, the disabled, the elderly and of course, their families.

According to the National Association of School Psychologists, getting a new school year off to a good start can influence a child’s attitude, confidence, and performance both socially and academically. The transition from August to September can be difficult for both children and parents. Even children who are eager to return to class must adjust to the greater levels of activity, structure, and, for some, pressures associated with school life.

The degree of adjustment depends on the child, but parents can help their children (and the rest of the family) manage the increased pace of life by planning ahead, being realistic, and maintaining a positive attitude. Here are a few suggestions to help ease the transition and promote a successful school experience.