The Sephardic Division of the UJA-Federation of New York, along with more than 100 community leaders, celebrated the Chehebar family, who received the first Morris Bailey Leadership Award at the home of Miriam and Manny Haber. Honorary Chair and UJA-Federation Board Member, Morris Bailey; Vice Chair, Harry Adjmi; and the Leadership Committee: Joe Cayre, Raymond Chalme, Jojo Chehebar, Stanley Chera, Eli Gindi, David Hidary, Jack Rahmey, and Teddy Serure raised nearly $1.1 million. This success captures the depth and breadth of the event, the honorees, and the continued generosity to the UJA-Federation.
The evening opened with Manny Haber, who acknowledged the incredible leadership and philanthropy of the Chehebar family as well as Morris Bailey’s extraordinary impact on the Sephardic community.
Introduced by Raymond Chalme, the evening’s guest speaker was Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
John Ruskay, executive vice president and CEO of UJA-Federation, said, “One thing that has never changed is how resilient we are, and what we do at UJA-Federation, day in and day out. Our reach and our strength, through our network of nearly 100 agencies, enables us to deliver critical help quickly and where it is most needed.”
Ruskay continued, “The Syrian community is a model for all Jews, embracing all the opportunities of modernity, and still living a Jewish life, a life that is devoted to tradition, to family, community, and to giving back.”
The evening demonstrated the growing relationship with the Sephardic-Jewish community, evidenced by UJA-Federation’s commitment to the Syrian community’s yeshivot, synagogues, and social-service agencies.
For more than 30 years, UJA-Federation has been providing the Sephardic Community Center (SCC) with core operating support, as well as targeted grants for camp and the elderly.
Annually, UJA-Federation provides nearly $750,000 in teacher’s benefits so the Syrian community can retain the best teachers as well as $250,000 in scholarships for students and their families.
When Hurricane Sandy struck, the UJA Federation provided emergency cash assistance, no questions asked, to the Sephardic Synagogue in Manhattan Beach, Magen David Yeshivah and the Yeshivah of Flatbush.
The organization has designated grants to support the next generation of Sephardic leaders through the ILEAD program at the Sephardic Community Alliance and provides funding to the SAFE Foundation, the Jewish Education Project and a targeted grant to help support Friday evening programming at Congregation Magen David of Manhattan.
Ruskay introduced Morris Bailey as a giant of philanthropic leadership and the only man who the award could be named for.
“Following in the footsteps of their beloved father Gabrielle Chehebar A’’H and their mother Marcelle, philanthropy is part of Chehebar family—from generation to generation they continue to help build a community.” Morris Bailey presented the award to Albert “Bero” Chehebar and his family.
Bero graciously accepted the award while recognizing his father, Gabrielle A”H, who taught the family the importance giving back to the community. Bero continued, “To receive an award, named for a man who signifies the best in leadership, hesed, and community—is so meaningful to me and my family.”
Bero concluded, “On behalf of my siblings, Isaac, Jack, JoJo, and Giselle, I graciously and humbly accept this award.”
For more than 95 years, UJA-Federation has been a central force for communal planning and philanthropy in the New York Jewish community.
