People from all over came together for the Rachel’s Children Reclamation Foundation 22nd Annual Commemoration of the Yahrtzeit of Rachel Imeinu, celebrated as Jewish Mother’s Day at the Manhattan Beach Jewish Center in Brooklyn. The dinner was a lesson of history, family roots and celebration. The keynote speaker, Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi, captivated the audience with his talk on “Roots and Redemption,” the key to Jewish Salvation. New York City Councilman Chaim Deutsch, who has attended most of RCRF’s past dinners, addressed the packed audience. Attendees listened with rapt attention to a lecture by Dr. Alexander Gelman on tracing DNA, an amazing connection of the Jews of today with their Jewish ancestry. IDF Sgt. David Haies presented a look at the life of an American turned Israeli soldier, and his experiences in the Gaza and Lebanon Wars. Rebbetzin Henny Machlis, z”l, was posthumously awarded the Rachel Imeinu Actualist Award, memorialized by her niece Esti Dershowitz. Robin Ticker, Co-President of Brooklyn AFSI, accepted the Memorial Recognition Award for super-activist Charlotte Wahle, z”l. The winners of the writing contest were Sarah Scop and Kayla Wolpin, who were presented the Good Deeds Matter Award by Malky Grunwald, the Actualist 2007 awardee. The theme of the contest was the merits of Rachel Imeinu, remembered for her midot and morality. Rabbi Yaakov Cohen was honored with the Breaking the Silence Award. Tanya Sarah Sheivester received the Young Leadership Award, presented by Tiferet Levy. The evening was hosted by Founder and President Evelyn Haies, and by Master of Ceremonies, Dr. Paul Brody. Chazan David Presler provided a musical interlude singing Evelyn Haies’s latest song, Shira B’Shelach, Song of the Sea. For more info, contact RCRF at [email protected].