Hollywood, CA — With the 28th annual Chabad “To Life” Telethon only two months away, Chabad is working to make this year’s celebration of life the best yet. The program will be broadcast worldwide live from Hollywood on Sunday, September 9 from 4:00 to 10:00 pm. With the theme of “People Helping People,” the fundraising event will highlight the many ways that people of Chabad reach out to aid and comfort others through grassroots campaigns and services.
This Year’s Telethon is all about the People
Hollywood, CA — With the 28th annual Chabad “To Life” Telethon only two months away, Chabad is working to make this year’s celebration of life the best yet. The program will be broadcast worldwide live from Hollywood on Sunday, September 9 from 4:00 to 10:00 pm. With the theme of “People Helping People,” the fundraising event will highlight the many ways that people of Chabad reach out to aid and comfort others through grassroots campaigns and services.
The Telethon will be chaired by Hollywood producer Jerry Weintraub and attorney Marshall Grossman. Actor and comedian Elon Gold, whose many television appearances include The Tonight Show, Frasier and Chappelle’s Show will be the host of the Telethon. Gold is currently a celebrity judge on the reality competition, The Next Big Thing: Who’s The Greatest Celebrity Impersonator? and headlines at top comedy clubs across the country.
“Year after year, Chabad has been blessed by the generosity of its supporters. Friends have answered the call to help provide vital educational and social services to countless people in need,” said Rabbi Boruch Shlomo Cunin, Director of West Coast Chabad-Lubavitch. “It’s about being in the schools, helping all children grow; it’s about being at bedsides, helping people through their darkest times, and it’s about lifting someone up when they’ve fallen. Chabad is about people helping people.”
The program will be co-hosted by a variety of entertainers, including stand-up comedian Mark Schiff. Schiff has appeared many times on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman and has had his own comedy specials on HBO and Showtime. Planned Telethon guests include Academy award winning actor Jon Voight, comedy legend Shelley Berman, actress/singer Mare Winningham, and a host of celebrities from the worlds of entertainment, sports and politics.
The event will feature performances by the leading artists in contemporary Jewish music including Mordechai Ben David, Gad Elbaz, Avraham Fried and the celebrated Yeshiva Boys Choir.
“With this year’s Telethon, we want to focus on how Chabad helps everyday people through grassroots efforts,” said Michael G. Levin, Producer of the fundraiser. “We’ll highlight Chabad programs that provide food, clothing, shelter, education and counseling to people of all faiths. We’ll look at the ‘hands-on’ work that the organization does for people in need. It’s a celebration of the people that help and are helped by Chabad.”
The Telethon has a history of legendary Hollywood guests including Milton Berle, Sammy Davis Jr. and Bob Hope as well as current celebrities like Adam Sandler, Martin Sheen and Whoopi Goldberg. The show has hosted a variety of musical acts from Bob Dylan to Matisyahu. Last year’s event featured appearances by Regis Philbin, Jimmy Kimmel and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The annual event will be broadcast across the country on television, and people all over the world will be able to enjoy the Telethon via the streaming online simulcast on the website www.ToLife.com. The Chabad “To Life” Telethon airs on September 9 from 4:00-10:00 p.m. PDT and can be seen the following broadcast stations:
Los Angeles:KCAL Channel 9
S. Diego: KUSI Channel 9
S. Francisco: KTSF Channel 26
Las Vegas: KVMY Channel 12
New York/New Jersey/Connecticut: WLNY Channel 55
