The Special Children’s Center has been the best-kept secret for parents of special children in Brooklyn and Deal for the last eight years. In their honor, the Jewish Community Center in Deal was transformed for an enchanting evening filled with music and dinner. The Special Children’s Center is a unique organization dedicated to helping children with a range of disabilities such as Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, etc., while providing much needed respite for the families of the child. Every program is specifically designed with the goal of providing relief to the family from the difficulties and constant needs of a special needs child and allowing them the opportunity to focus on other members of the family.
The Special Children’s Center provides our community’s special needs children with programs tailored to their needs throughout the year, such as the Max Harari Disney World trip, Sunday programs, overnight and weekend getaways and a Shabbat house, where the children stay to enjoy a meaningful Shabbat.
Their flagship program is a world-class summer camp featuring special education teachers, therapists and an incredible all volunteer staff. This year they added an integrated class, which accommodated children whose needs couldn’t be accommodated by any other camp. All of this growth made this year’s fundraising concert a must. Without the generous help of the community, the Special Children’s Center couldn’t possibly continue to be there for our children.
The evening was dedicated in honor of Joe and Trina Cayre through the generosity of their children and grandchildren. While community members enjoyed a lavish buffet dinner and bar by Zami Caterers before the main event, the relaxing music of a harpist played in the background. The magic began when the doors opened to the new Axelrod Performing Arts Theatre. Rabbi Eli Mansour opened the night by telling the crowd that although they were there that night to enjoy themselves in an unforgettable evening, the help their participation gives to the Center, thereby enabling them to do so much for the special needs children, is immeasurable.
The concert got right into gear with a fast-paced performance by Piamenta, a well-known Sephardic Israeli singer. The excitement continued when Yaakov Shweky, the main performer of the evening, sang a duet with Piamenta and went on to sing some of his most popular and well-loved songs. As the evening progressed, the wonderful people that spent their time and efforts making the event a success were thanked including Gayle Krost, Allie Cohen, Lauren Franco and Chanie Shoner. It goes without saying that the success of the Special Children’s Center is due in large part to Michael Cayre and Richy Dweck, for whom no thank you will ever suffice. The Center would not be where it is today without their dedication to the cause.
In order to showcase the virtues of this organization, a video presentation was shown. The video described the feelings of both a special needs child, who sees his counselor as his hero, and the feelings of the counselor who likewise sees a child that overcomes many obstacles as a hero. The presentation was very heartwarming and really gave the crowd a chance to see the effect the Center has on all those involved. A special acknowledgment was made in the video to the Harari and Mizrahi families for their generous contribution to the Center and for sponsoring the 2006 Max Harari Disney World Make a Wish Come True trip.
As the concert went on, the audience fell in love with a surprise guest. Completely unplanned, a young boy with Down syndrome took to the stage. True to the heart of the organization, the boy immediately started dancing with Yaakov Shwekey to the applause of the crowd.
The evening finished with a delightful Viennese table. The guests got to take home adorable cookies and maracas emblazoned with the Center logo. Most importantly, they took home the true satisfaction of knowing that they took part in supporting a truly great cause. With the ‘word’ out about the Special Children’s Center and the love the community has for its special needs children, the evening was truly successful in so many ways. The summer concert and dinner event allowed the Center to publicize the existence of an organization that services the children, helps the families and offers the youth of our community the opportunity to do hesed. To get involved, please call 732-367-0099.
