Paramus—Over 1000 people came out last Sunday to Yeshivat Noam’s Paramus campus to show support for the Friendship Circle (FC).  FC provides social programming for local kids, teens, and adults with special needs, as well as providing meaningful volunteer opportunities for community teens.

The 7th annual FC Walk, dubbed the NJ Friendship Walk, moved to Paramus this year due to construction at Votee Park in Teaneck.  The event raised over $60,000. According to FC Director, Zeesy Grossbaum, the funds raised will go to fund new and existing programs.

The Walk began with words of welcome and inspiration from Rabbi Moshe Grossbaum, who co-directs FC with his wife Zeesy. DubeZone founder and friend of FC, Mike Dube of Englewood, led the assembled walkers in some pre-Walk stretching and warm-up exercises with the Dube Zone staff. The ribbon was cut by new Friendship Walk event sponsors, Dr. Adam (Avi) Schulhof and Dr. Darryl (Yechiel) Engel of KinderSmiles in Oradell. Once the ribbon was cut, the walk got underway.

Following the one-mile walk up Century Rd. and through the Frisch parking lot and back down to Yeshivat Noam, participants enjoyed a jump rope show by the Forbes Flyers Jump rope team, as well as rides, a foam machine, concessions, and a kosher ice cream truck.

A number of prominent local rabbis—Rabbi Yosef Adler of Rinat and TABC, Rabbi Larry Rothwachs of Beth Aaaron, Rabbi Moshe Stavsky of Beis Medrash of Bergenfield, to name a few—joined with their congregants in a show of support and solidarity.

According to Zeesy Grossbaum, a critical message of the day was this: “It’s clear to anyone who comes and participates in the Walk that the entire community welcomes and embraces these special needs children and their families.” To all who attended this event and other FC events year-round, the message certainly came through.