A record number of people recently attended a sumptuous breakfast event for State of Israel Bonds honoring JJC’s Cantor Barry Black and his wife Dorit.
After opening remarks by JJC President Mark Wilkow and Rabbi Benjamin Herman, JJC Bonds chair Evelyn Rubin introduced guest speaker Edward A. Turzanski. Mr. Turanski, a terrorism expert, media commentator and former intelligence officer during the Reagan administration, told the audience that if you care about American national security, you had better care about Israel. He pointed out the extreme gap between how the media presents the situation and the facts on the ground. A spontaneous standing ovation showed the audience’s appreciation for the speaker’s on-target analysis.
Making a surprise appearance to honor Cantor Black was Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Executive VP of the New York Board of Rabbis and 9/11 first responder. The Bonds award was presented to the Blacks by Flo Baumoel who lauded the cantor’s leadership of the JJC choir of which she is a long-time member. The program ended with a spirited rendition of a haunting Hebrew prayer by the cantor, guest cantor Moshe Baer of Temple Gates of Prayer and Talya Smilowitz of the Jewish Congregation of Brookville. — Jericho Jewish Center
