The Chicago Center was pleased to greet close to 700 friends and supporters at the Midwest Conference Center, 28 Iyar- June 2, for The Chicago Center’s Annual Banquet, anticipating an event that has become famed for inspirational content presented in an atmosphere of achdus and elegance.
It did not disappoint.
Mr. Yossi Meystel served as an eloquent M.C., addressing how The Chicago Center operates: identifying community needs, evolving, and expanding to meet them.
The couples honored at the dinner are admired and beloved figures, whose devotion to Torah and chesed is paralleled by their ahavas Yisroel.
Mr. and Mrs. Tzvi and Tybi Ray who embody mesiras nefesh for kol davar she’bekdusha and are a true model for a perfect synthesis of Torah & Chesed, received the Amudei Torah V’Chesed Award.
The Kesser Shem Tov Award was aptly bestowed upon Mr. and Mrs. Ephraim and Aviva Vilenski, recognizing their empathy, dedication and enthusiasm. When they see a need the Vilenski’s jump in; whether doing Chesed in our community or partnering with Refuah 311 initiatives, their involvement and leadership makes a big difference.
Paying tribute to his unstinting kindness to those in medical need, Dr. Edward Kaplan was presented the Refuah-311 Award.
A Special Memorial Tribute recognized the contributions made by Mr. Neal Stein, z”l, a friend to so many and someone who helped so many different Mosdos in our community.
A surprise announcement was made by the MC Mr. Yossi Meystel revealing the news that The Chicago Center purchased a building to continue helping transform the landscape of the greater Chicago Jewish community through its multi-faceted services encompassing the pillars of Torah, Chesed, and Refuah.
With this monumental undertaking, The Chicago Center is rising to the challenge, determined as ever to meet the growing communal demands.
The Nasi of Chicago Center, Harav Pinchus Eichenstein, relayed in his powerful divrei Torah and bracha that we should not lead our lives just to be yotzei, and he said that mission is what gave his grandparents and his father The Zidichover Rebbe, shlita the drive to keep on accomplishing for the entire community.
The evening concluded with an impassioned expression of hakoras hatov to The Chicago Center supporters, and a warm invitation to take advantage of its many services that are provided for the community.
