Brooklyn’s Shaare Zion Synagogue recently held a cocktail reception to benefit the Aleh Foundation’s new special education school campus in Pardes Katz, 10 minutes from Tel-Aviv. This beautiful new complex will contain 24 classrooms, an olympic-sized therapeutic swimming pool, a rooftop playground and much more.
Aleh is Israel’s foremost provider of care, treatment and education of severely disabled infants, children and young adults. Aleh’s spacious, modern centers in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Gedera, Jerusalem and the Negev are home to more than 650 special Jewish children, with thousands more attending Aleh’s facilities each day for treatment and education.
The Pardes Katz special education school will be breaking ground soon. The campus will have the capacity to service 200 children with classes ranging from kindergarten to high school.
Stanley Chera, the master of ceremonies for the evening, introduced a lineup of special guests including the night’s award recipient, Chairman Jack Avital. Speeches were made by Rabbi Braun, Rabbi Dr. Abadie, Jeff Cohen and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel.
Stanley Chera began the night with a few words, then introduced Rabbi Dr. Elie Abadie who gave a powerful speech on the profound accomplishments and miraculous rebirth of Israel.
Jeff Cohen followed Rabbi Dr. Abadie. He spoke about his father, Abe Cohen A”H, who founded Shaare Zion Synagogue. His heartfelt speech described the pride that he knew his father would have felt for the current state of the Syrian Sephardic Synagogue. Shaare Zion has evolved into a center where the community comes together for so many important occasions and celebrations.
Chairman Jack Avital was honored for his hard work and dedication. Then, the final speaker of the night, Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel began his speech. Wiesel, a political activist and author of over 40 books including his best known work, Night, is an advocate for Jewish causes. He said that he became connected with the Aleh Foundation “for the children.”
Mr. Wiesel’s profound soul shined through with each of his carefully selected words, as he lit up attendees with his powerful speech about the unity of the Jewish community.
The lineup ended with the singing of the Hatikva, Israel’s National Anthem. Then, after some mingling, guests received handmade artwork and were bid farewell with a grand presentation of pastries and other delightful dessert items.
To learn how you can help Aleh’s special children in Israel, please call the Aleh Foundation at (718) 851-4596 or 1-800-317-ALEH. Or visit their website: www.alehfoundationusa.org.
An Excerpt from Rabbi Dr. Abadie’s Speech
For 60 years we have actualized our prayers of thousands of years and have re-established Jewish sovereignty in the land of our forefathers. Tonight I want to remind everyone how wonderful and miraculous this reality is. So often we are consumed with the political and religious turmoil of the country that we forget how grateful we should truly be for the mere opportunity to call Israel our own.
We Jews living in exile in the Diaspora, far from the daily life in Israel, are at times quick to voice our opinion, to criticize any little thing that we don’t like about Israel and its government. And I must admit that lately I myself have been critical of the events that have taken place in Israel, but beneath the criticism lies our love for Israel. Beneath the plagued words lie words of praise; likewise in Israel, beneath negative things lie hidden treasures. Beneath any blemish lies its purity, beneath tumah there is tahara, beneath sheker there is emet.
There are not enough words to express what Israel has meant and means to us as Jews living in this modern era. No other Jewish community in the last 2,000 years has had the privilege to witness such a miracle.
Israel has become the brightest light on the world horizon for many people in distress. But Israel is more than that. It has given Jews everywhere a banner around which to rally. It has made Jews everywhere feel that being a Jew is a proud privilege. It has reversed the 2,000 year old role of the Jew on the stage of history. For the past two millennia the Jew’s history was shaped for him by other nations. Coercion, subjugation, oppression, persecution and exile—these were the involuntary roles assigned to him. Jewish history has been for 2,000 years not the story of what the Jews did as much as what was done to them.
The rebirth of Israel points to a new role that the Jew has chosen for himself. No more shall the destiny of the Jews be shaped by the unkind hands of others. Now the destiny of the Jews rests solely in G-d’s and his own hands. Israel has re-affirmed our faith in G-d, and it has rekindled our belief in miracles.
Don’t take for granted the many Bar Mitzvot you have celebrated at the Kotel, the many hikes you have taken in the Golan, or the many sunsets you have seen while standing at the banks of the Kineret. Enjoy the diverse kosher cuisine that presents itself in the country’s many cities. Be proud of the many technological advancements and contributions that your country Israel and your people have made in a mere 60 years.
Become a spokesperson for the state of Israel because you believe in what you are saying. The most important lesson I can convey to you is to always believe that the land was given to us by G-d Almighty. The Torah relates the covenant, which was made with Abraham, and subsequently with all of the abot (fathers) to inherit Eretz Yisrael. In the Torah, Hashem explains to Bene Yisrael that we must act in a holy fashion in order to maintain our existence in the land of Israel. The connection and the history is written in our Bible, recited in our liturgy, and embedded in our Jewish souls.
I am proud to acknowledge my eternal connection to the State of Israel. I am not apologetic for inheriting the land of my forefathers. I need not share or giveaway something which is rightfully mine. I would like to convey that message to the rest of the world, particularly to my Jewish brethren living both inside the land and in the Diaspora. Be proud to say I have come home—Oh Jerusalem, I shall not forsake you!
It is not by coincidence that we have reclaimed our eternal homeland, and it will not be by chance that we maintain our rightful presence and governance of the land. We must right the wrongs of history, remember who we are and where we came from and hold our heads up high. Regardless of political affiliation, education or religious observance, we must celebrate and rejoice, for the dawn of our redemption is near. Amen.
For more information please visit www.alehfoundationusa.org or call the Aleh Foundation headquarters at 718-851-4596.
