Elizabeth, NJ–A capacity crowd packed the ballroom at Bruriah High School on Motzoei Shabbos, December 6, as more than 400 people gathered for the third annual Chaya Newman Memorial event presented by the newly launched JEC Alumni Network. The star of the evening was Charlie Harary, investor, strategic adviser and professor at the Sy Syms School of Business at YU, who has become a famous motivational speaker, radio show host, and television personality.

Attendees included faculty representing all three divisions of the Jewish Educational Center, past and present; alumni spanning decades; JEC administrators; members of the Board of Trustees; current students; parents; community rabbis; and JEC supporters. In addition, in a record-breaking display of interest and solidarity with the school, over 1200 people from around the world viewed the event via livestream.

Chaya Newman was a beloved principal at Bruriah, and her name is synonymous with the worldwide reputation of excellence that Bruriah enjoys. An emotional video tribute to Newman included footage of the late principal talking about her pride in the graduates of Bruriah. It was followed by material highlighted the 50-year-old school’s illustrious history.

Rabbi Joseph Oratz, the current principal of Bruriah, spoke about how humbling it is to follow in his predecessor’s footsteps. He said her priority was to reach her students’ hearts and to inspire them.

Shlomis Peikes, Bruriah’s associate principal and Newman’s daughter, shared her mother’s mission for the school–to teach knowledge and skills, but also to instill a sense of responsibility and commitment in all her students. Ten members of the extended Newman family were in attendance.

The evening’s keynoter, Charlie Harary, exploded onto the stage with the energy and passion he is famous for. He tied his presentation into Newman’s legacy of always believing in her students and working to have them reach their potential. He also talked about Chanukah, likening the Jewish nation to the flaming lights of the menorah. He said that like the element of fire, which displays anti-gravity behavior, our souls are yearning to reach higher and are represented by fire. He explained that that is why a yahrzeit is commemorated by lighting a candle.

Harary characterized the attitude embraced by the Maccabees at that time as “being all in,” to the point that every fiber of their beings believed in their mission and so they put forth sustained and maximum effort. He said that in life, for anything that is important, any goal, any cause, our marriages, children, relationships, careers, etc., it is critical to be “all in” in order to maximize our potential and reveal the greatness that resides within every human being.

“Charlie Harary was the perfect choice for this year’s event,” said Adina Abramov, the JEC’s marketing officer, who coordinated the program. “His unique combination of broad scholarship, honest sincerity, passion, energy, and oratory skill made for an appropriate and impressive tribute to Mrs. Newman’s legacy, which spans the globe and multiple generations in its own right.”

Representing the JEC Alumni Network at the podium were Springfield-based Dr. Aryeh Pirak, Chief of Anesthesiology at Trinitas Hospital and a JEC alumnus, Class of 1971, and his daughter Dr. Sharon Konigsberg, a dentist, alumna of Bruriah, Class of 1998 and a parent of three students now at JEC. As one of a number of families with three generations of JEC students, they spoke of efforts by the school to reach out and re-engage alumni, and encouraged graduates of the system to do the same and reconnect with each other as well.

They added that the JEC has been offered a “Challenge Grant” by three generous families of up to $100,000 each and encouraged everyone to take advantage of the opportunity to extend the reach of their contributions by making a gift before the end of 2014, when the challenge culminates. They concluded with an invitation to all young alumni to attend the upcoming Young Alumni Networking event in New York City on January 7.

“The launch of the JEC’s Alumni Network,” said Andy Schultz, the JEC’s Director of Institutional Advancement, “is a critical step in strengthening the personal and professional connections to and within the broad JEC alumni base. The Network seeks to offer value to its members, which represent almost 75 years of JEC graduates, and will include initiatives related to career development; mentorship; social programming; volunteerism, social action, and philanthropy; and JEC ambassadorship.”

For more information, call 908-355-4850, ext. 6248, or email [email protected].

A full recording of the event may be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJmG4KP7pqU