November 9, 2000
Yachad
Brings Queens Community B’yachad (together)
They
came from all over the country to reunite with old friends, forge
relationships with new friends and celebrate the end of Sukkot.
For 25 Yachad members and their 33 advisors, what started out as a
reunion from their Yad B’ Yad, Camp Morasha and East Coast summer
programs turned into a Simchat
Torah they would never forget.
The
Simchaton was held at the Young Israel of New Hyde Park in Queens. Throughout the weekend, the Yachad members and their advisors
participated in the community’s prayer services, meals and dancing.
Rabbi Binyamin Hammer, the rabbi of the Young Israel, explained,
“The excitement and love of Torah these special men and women exhibited
was inspiring. The Reform and
Orthodox Jewish communities took a cue from the Yachad members’
commitment to unity and religious pride and joined together
‘b’yachad’ for the first time to dance in honor of the holiday.”
During
the weekend, there were many different programs including a visit to the
elderly at a nearby nursing home. When
the holiday ended, the Yachad members were reluctant to go, but not as
reluctant as the community was to have them leave.
Dr. Jeff Lichtman, National Director of NJCD,
explained, “In the days following the Simchaton, we received many calls
from members of the community who wanted to thank us for raising the
spiritual level of their holiday by bringing Yachad to their shul.
The most rewarding call we received was from the father of a
four-year-old girl with Down’s Syndrome.
He wanted to thank us for giving him hope and showing him the
potential future his daughter has to look forward to.”
For
more information about Yachad call, 212-613-8229 or visit, www.ou.org/ncsy/njcd/yachad.html.
With
more than 35 chapters throughout the United States and Canada, the NJCD,
an agency of the Orthodox Union, is the only national resource center
providing specialized guidance and information as well as direct services
to those in the Jewish community who have
special needs. Yachad, a division of the NJCD, provides a wide range
of social, recreational and religious programs, serving well over 1,500
children and adults with developmental disabilities.
The
Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish
community of America and beyond, is the world leader in youth
work,
advocacy for the disabled, synagogue
services, adult education and
political action. Its kosher
supervision label, the
 ,
is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over
250,000 products in 68 countries around the globe.
###
www.ou.org
Comments?
Requests? Questions?
 Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations
of America
Department of Public Relations
Sharyn Perlman, Director
Main Office:
11 Broadway, New York, NY 10004
Phone: 212-613-8321 Fax: 212-564-9058
E-mail: media@ou.org |
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