(Courtesy of Emunah) On November 10, over 500 people and 300 Young Leaders of Emunah gathered at Chelsea Piers to celebrate Emunah’s work helping vulnerable Israelis “beat the odds.” Emunah’s annual dinner highlights the way that our unparalleled organization helps thousands of children and families beat the odds, overcoming poverty, abuse and neglect to become fully contributing members of Israeli society.
The Emunah dinner is a true celebration of our past, present and future. We presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Shirley Billet, a”h, for her unparalleled devotion to Emunah’s mission. The award was accepted by her children, Dr. Lynn Sugarman and Dr. Mark Billet. We bestowed the Dor L’Dor Award to Chani Chesner and Odit Oliner, whose acceptance included a tribute to their late grandmother, Dr. Leila Bronner, a”h. The Young Leadership Award was given to Rachel Gindi, who sets an inspiring example for other young people to follow.
The gala featured guest speaker Sara Tegau Samay, who shared her inspiring story of how Emunah’s Achuzat Sara Children’s Home enabled her to beat the odds. She spoke about how her mother died when she was young, leaving her in the care of her violently abusive father. Social services removed her from her home and placed her in Achuzat Sara Children’s Home where she received support, education and, most importantly, love. Today, Sara is a successful, happy young wife, mother,and nurse thanks to Emunah’s compassionate care. Her story illustrated the powerful impact that Emunah has on the most vulnerable members of Israeli society.
Says Johanna Guttman Herskowitz, national president, “Tonight was a true celebration of Emunah’s successes, but we still do not lose sight of the mission. Thousands of children and family rely on Emunah every day and this evening highlighted that they are not alone in their journey to beat the odds.”
Emunah operates over 160 unique projects—residential homes, trauma counseling centers and early childhood education centers—serving over 10,000 vulnerable Israelis every day. The dinner gave us the opportunity to celebrate our honorees and showcase Emunah’s homes in Israel.
If you missed the opportunity to attend and would like to be included in the journal for the honorees, please email [email protected]. To view the journal, go to www.emunahdinner.org. If you would like to make a year-end gift, please go to www.emunah.org/donate.�
