Community
Lubavitch celebrates 30th
CYNTHIA RAMSAY
Above: Red Robinson, left, and Howard Blank emcee the gala evening's formal proceedings.
Left: Rabbi Yitzchak Wineberg, left, and Dr. Barrett Benny pause from greeting guests at the prc-dinner reception.
Bottom: Ed Rpthman, left, and Alex Kliner enjoy the gala ^ reception.
PHOTOS BY CYNTHIA RAMSAY
silent auction, wine and hors d'ocu-vres. Tlie main event featured renowned radio talk show host and author Dennis Pragcr, who spoke about the amazing influence of tlie Lubavitch movement worldwide. Tliis idea was localized in a moving video tliat discussed the in-clusivity of Lubavitch tlirough interviews with Chabad rabbis and otlier leaders from tlie Lower Mainland, including former Vancouver mayor Lany Campbell, who said tJiat he hoped he'd come back as a Jew in his next life.
Uri Ariel, who conceived of tlie Cliaj! Gala, said he "wanted something that would give people a good time, but would also raise tlie awareness of Lubavitcli in our community."
And indeed, it was an exciting event. Tzimmes provided the en-
tertainment as guests ate a delicious catered meal, and Red Robinson and Howard Blank em-ceed tlie evening. Tlie higlilight of the event was a live auction featuring such prizes as a walk-on role in the upcoming X-Men sequel, wliicli was personally offered by film director Brett Ratner, a Picasso lithograph donated by Sergio Patrich of Simone Patricli Galleries; and two first-class tickets to Palm Springs, provided by Harmony Airways. Tlie auctions
raised more tlian $35,000 for Lubavitcli B.C.
Tlie Cliai! Gala will be an annual event, featuring a major perfomier, video presentation and much more," said Rabbi Yitzcliak Wineberg, director of Lubavitch B.C. "Tliere was a need to diange our annual gold plate dinner. It liad served us veiy well, but people lost interest And making another 'dinner" was the last thing anyone in Vancouver wanted."
Planning for tlie 2006 gala is already underway, said Brent James, diair of tlie Lubavitcli board and of tliis year's event.
For more information, or to participate in the organizing of the Qiai! Gala 2006, call Lubavitcli B.C. at 60-4-266-1313. S
- With matcruilfrom hibaiHtcbB.C.
HillePs enchanted gala
Party-goers at last year's Hillel gala.
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acli ye;ir, Hillel Vancouver holds a fund-raising gala with a specific project in J mind. Last year, for instance, funds were raised for a Hillel facility at Simon Fraser University, wiiich opened to great fanfare tliis fall.
Tliis year's gala, An Enchanted Evening in tlie Amazon, takes phce Dec 4 and will raise funds for a full-time staff person at Hillel's University of Viaoria office.
A Hillel House at tlie University of British Columbia was establislied in 1947. Tlie Hillel House at SFU opened in September. Over the past two years, tliese two Hillel offices have attracted 15,000 student engagements and tripled Jewish student enrolment. Tliree yeais ago, tliere were 72 registered students at Hillel. Today, there are nearly 600. Tlie goal is to increase tliose numbers even fiirtlier witli a pres-
ence at tlie Univereity of Victoria.
Tlie support of tlie Vancouver Jewisli community lias allowed Hillel to meet its mission of "Jews doing Jewish with otlier Jews," of engaging more unaffiliiited students to tlie Jewish community, of sending more students to Israel than ever before, sending record number of students on leadeisliip conferences and for crediting a Jev.'ish home on campus for students.
Tlie gala will feature keynote speaker Avrahani Infeld, international president of Hillel. Infeld will honor UBC president Martlia Piper witli an Exemplar of Excellence Award, acknowledging tlie university's strong support of Jewish life on campus.
Tlie evening, wliich kicks off at 5:30 p.m. at Ridiniond's Delta Hotel, will also feature dinner, li\ e entertainment ;ind a silent auction. For tickets, caU 6ai-22'i-4748. S
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