750 Attend Friendship Circle Annual Banquet at NJPAC!

NEWARK, NJ [CHI] — One could immediately feel the energy and excitement of the more than 750 guests who packed the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark on Tuesday, March 25 for Friendship Circle’s Annual Banquet. The evening’s event, held in honor of Friendships Circle volunteers, included a lavish dinner buffet along with a moving presentation and several tributes.

More pictures and videos in the Extended Article!

“I go to so many charity events, but at the Friendship Circle Annual Banquet I was surprised to find myself caught up in the middle of an inspiring event that will stand out in my memory for a long time to come”, describes one enthusiastic donor.

His thoughts and feelings were mirrored by many other attendees. “”Moving,” “inspirational,” “special” and “powerful” are all answers given as to why this evening differed from all others.

The video presentation, “Joshua”, depicted the family life of the Friendship Circle participants. The love and friendship that poured into their lives as a result of the Friendship Circle moved the entire audience and the admiration that each viewer felt for this family’s strength and dedication to each other, through the ups and downs of living with various medical challenges, was palpable.

The highlights of the evening were the tributes to the 815 teen volunteers as well as to the evening’s Guests of Honor George Fiore, Paula and David Saginaw, and Ellen and Jonah Zimiles for their commitment to families who have children with special needs throughout the community. Surrounded by their friends and families, the honorees were acknowledged with testimonials of their generosity.

Former New York Governor Mario Cuomo introduced Ellen and Jonah Zimiles, recipients of the Kesser Shem Tov Award, as a couple who not only give of themselves professionally though careers in law and public service, but also as a family that reinvented their lives to accommodate and nurture their son who has Autism. Their daughter Liz described how her parents have transformed their experiences into a vehicle to help others throughout the special needs community.

Introducing Paula and David Saginaw, their children painted the picture of a couple dedicated to improving the lives of Jews globally as well as locally, with a long history of professional and lay leadership in the MetroWest community. The Saginaws were honored with the Leadership Award.

George Fiore, recipient of the Humanitarian Award, was introduced by George Gellert and recognized for his endless contributions to many segments of the community and for his commitment to many causes, both professionally and philanthropically. He was also recognized for his longstanding involvement in the special needs community – especially through his support of the Friendship Circle.

The teen volunteers were recognized for their dedication and hard work on behalf of the Friendship Circle. As a group, they have given more than 35,000 hours of friendship and support.

The evening also provided an opportunity to look forward to the work that still needs to be done. “On a night like tonight, we should not stand up here and talk about the many rungs we’ve climbed,” said Rabbi Zalman Grossbaum, Executive Director of the Friendship Circle. “When we see statistics that there are still many hundreds of families in our own community who need our services and there are thousands more teens whose lives can take on a whole new direction through volunteering, then it’s clear that we can not and dare not stop climbing!”

In addition to being a source of comfort and companionship to the children and families, the teen volunteers reap the vast rewards derived from giving of themselves.

“Volunteering is considered one of the most selfless acts in Judaism, a real mitzvah. However, I must confess, my motives aren’t purely altruistic: true, I volunteer for the smiles, and the “thank-you’s”, but I also do it for me,” said Jen Zelnick a volunteer from Newark Academy in Livingston. “My special friend has made me a better person. Every time I volunteer, I develop a greater appreciation for these great kids, while learning about myself as well.

The Friendship Circle was launched in October 2000 to engage families who have children with special needs through a full range of social and educational experiences. While accomplishing this goal, Friendship Circle also enriches, inspires and motivates Jewish teens through their volunteer experiences, while at the same time providing parents with much needed support in caring for and educating their special needs children.

As one of the fastest growing Jewish organization in New Jersey, the Friendship Circle’s wide array of innovative programming promotes a greater awareness and understanding of both the unique needs and the unique gifts of those with special needs, and encourages respect and empathy for those facing difficult challenges. The Friendship Circle currently serves 275 families and children.

For more information on the Friendship Circle, please visit our website at www.fcnj.com.

The Friendship Circle is a project of the Living Legacy and the Rabbinical College of America-Lubavitch and is a beneficiary organization of the United Jewish Communities of MetroWest.

Click Here to watch video presentations from the dinner!