500 Supporters Celebrate with Chabad of Alaska

The Eighth Annual Auction of Chabad in Alaska has attracted again more than 500 business leaders and government officials thanks to the hard work of the friends of Chabad in Alaska, Gala Co-Chairs, Liz Ashlock and Shani Green. The “Event of the Year” in Alaska took place at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage and raised funds in support of the Esformes Campus in Alaska, which includes Chabad House, Synagogue, School, and Jewish Museum, led by the Shluchim Rabbi Yosef and Esty Greenberg.

At the Gala, special tribute was paid to Dr. Victor Fischer, co-founder of the Institute for Social and Economic Research at University of Alaska Anchorage, and Patricia Wolf, Director and CEO of the Anchorage Museum for the last four decades, for their outstanding leadership in the shaping of the last frontier.

Professor Fischer, who is one of the last living delegates to the Alaska Constitutional Convention which led to Alaska’s statehood, is a grandson of Rabbi Yaakov Mark, the author of the Yiddish book, Great Men of Our Time (New York, 1927), where he describes his personal encounters with the Rebbe Rashab and the previous Rebbe, when they used to visit the vacation town of Libau, Latvia. He was also one of the signers and founding members of Chabad in America.

In attendance was anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan, as well as other members of the Alaska State Senate, former Mayors and Governors. Producer Mark Ordesky, who is in Alaska producing a Hollywood film and several members of his crew, were in attendance and offered to auction a surprise tour of the set, creating a wild bidding frenzy during the live auction.

A special video presentation featuring the many events and activities that took place during the campus’ first two years was shown during the evening.

The renowned Krohn Brothers Orchestra was flown in from New York City to perform at the Gala. The Krohn Brothers also performed in a family concert that took place the next morning at the Hotel Captain Cook for the students of the Chabad Schools in Anchorage, together with their parents.