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Chabad of the Conejo Celebrates 28 Years

Conejo, CA — Chabad of the Conejo, CA held its annual Gala Banquet on Tuesday, June 12th, 2007. The event was held at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. Nine hundred friends and supporters gathered for an evening of glamour, entertainment, and tribute. The gala this year was titled “A Call To Leadership” and was followed by a performance in the Kavli Theatre (1600 people) featuring The Moshav Band and Marc Salem in a new show “Mind Games Extra”.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

Chabad paid tribute to Steve and Linda Wasserman, the honorees at this year’s gala. “Steve and Linda are truly deserving of this prestigious award” said Rabbi Moshe D. Bryski, the Executive Director of Chabad. “This is a couple deeply concerned with the material and spiritual welfare of others. They are true community leaders who have given of their time, energy, and benevolence to ensure a more vibrant and educated Jewish community for all of us. Their endless acts of kindness have not gone unnoticed.”

An “Achievement Award” was presented to Roye Ashkenazi, a 13 year old with Cerebral Palsy who has been part of the Friendship Circle and has inspired the over 250 teen volunteers who participate in the program. Shawn and Dorna Nili was presented with the “Community Leadership Award” by Rabbi Yisroel Levine. Rabbi Shlomo Bistritzky opened the banquet by dedicating the evening to the Rebbe. Rabbi Yitzchak Sapochkinsky thanked the growing list of staff of the organization.

The Banquet celebrated Chabad’s 28th anniversary in the Conejo Valley. Having opened in 1979 in a small office in Westlake Village, it has since grown and expanded drastically with centers in Westlake Village, Oak Park, Agoura Hills, and Thousand Oaks. It has been instrumental in opening centers in Simi Valley, Oxnard, Camarillo, Calabasas and Ventura. Under its auspices, the Conejo Jewish Day School opened and now operates classes from Kindergarten thru 6th grade. Kosher markets, a pizza shop, falafel store, a Judaica shop are now part of the landscape of this blossoming Jewish community. More recently, Chabad of the Conejo opened of yet another institution, the Mei Menachem Mikvas Devorah, the first Mikvah in the history of the Conejo Valley.

The performance that followed the dinner opened with the Moshav Band singing some of their top hits. Rabbi Bryski inspired the audience with a “call to leadership” encouraging the participants to get involved in a building campaign. He announced that a groundbreaking ceremony will take palce on Sunday, Sept. 9th, and construction will begin after the Yomim Tovim on the new Center for Jewish Life. The JEM Video “Challenge” was shown. And then came Marc Salem. He kept the audience laughing, mesmerized and puzzled – all simultaneously. All over the Conejo Valley, people are asking themselves “how did he do that.. again…?”.

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10 Comments

  • favorite nephew

    the amazing Shlomo, you are so grey/white, makes you look very distinguished. Great pic.

  • nephews and niece from new york

    Uncle Moishe and Tante Matty
    KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!
    Love your nephews and niece

  • iluvLA

    i went to this event and it was ammmmmmmmmmmmmazing. to all u folks out there: support chabad of the conejo!!

  • Favorite Niece

    Hey Uncle Shloimy, looking great, keep doing the wonderful things you do! We’re proud!!

  • Argyle

    Shlomo- I can’t believe it’s already 20 years since wev’e been making mountains into molehills or is it the other way around? Hashem should give you “ad bli dai meyod hameleha hapesucha verharchovo” You deserve it! And bottle of hair dye wouldnt hurt either.. Do they know you were only 16 when you were driving the bus!!! LOL!!!!!!

  • nephew from new york

    Uncle Moishe and Tante Matty
    Keep up the amaizing work!!!