Jewish Care’s annual appeal dinner evokes community spirit
More than 400 supporters attended Melbourne’s Jewish Care’s 2015 Annual Appeal Dinner.
Master of Ceremonies at the Leonda by the Yarra in Hawthorn Georgia Danos promised to showcase the heart of Jewish Care and its importance in the Victorian Jewish community and it certainly delivered on that promise. The audience enjoyed an evening of heartfelt personal stories, musical entertainment and videos that made them laugh and cry.
1. Amazing entertainers: Resident and tenor Moishe Fried accompanied on piano by cantor Dov Farkas.
The event began with a charming short video, ‘A Bissel of Romance’ which showed Jewish Care residents sharing their stories on romance. This was followed up later in the evening with an equally amusing video of residents tackling questions related to social media and technology, which attracted much laughter.
Masha Zeleznikow was warmly applauded when accepting the Leo and Mina Fink Community Service Award, for her long-standing and outstanding service to Jewish Care and the Jewish community of Victoria. The award was presented to her by Jewish Care’s CEO, Bill Appleby.
The highlight of the night was provided by Gary Smorgon House resident and talented tenor, 94-year-old Moishe Fried who was accompanied on piano by cantor Dov Farkas. Together their voices evoked feelings of warmth and deep emotion throughout the room with their renditions of well-known and beloved Hebrew, Yiddish and even Italian songs. The standing ovation was a clear acknowledgement and appreciation of their talents.
2. Mrs Masha Zeleznikow accepting the Leo & Mina Fink Community Service Award from Jewish Care CEO, Bill Appleby
Guest speaker Natasha Katz, an Enrolled Nurse at the Smorgon Family Nursing Home, shared her story of working in aged care and how the residents have become her extended family, so much so that she chose to hold her recent wedding in the gardens of Montefiore Homes.
The focus of this year’s Annual Appeal is that the unexpected, the unthinkable can happen to anyone at any time. This was powerfully demonstrated through the screening of the Appeal video ‘Then One Day’.
3. Tuvya Garfinkel and Natasha Katz, guest speaker and Enrolled Nurse at the Smorgon Family Nursing Home, with her parents Greg and Yael Katz.
“When life is good we never imagine that it could take a turn for the worse. Then one day something happens”, said Mike Debinski, President of Jewish Care. “Things like job loss, illness, disability, marriage breakdown, financial hardship and stress, domestic violence and abuse. Any of these situations can quickly impact on individuals and families, changing a once ‘normal’ life and turning it upside down.”
Melissa Davis, Appeal Dinner Chair, gave an impassioned speech and urged the room of supporters to help Jewish Care attain its $3.5 million target and to give some thought as to how fickle and unpredictable our lives actually are.
Jewish Care’s Appeal slogan this year is Jewish Care. For our community. Every Day. This highlights the dependability of the organisation to each and every Jewish person in the Victorian community.
To support the 2015 Annual Appeal, donations can be made by calling
1800 JEWISH (1800 539 474) or donate online at: www.jewishcare.org.au/donate
