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JUNE 13, 2019 | The Jewish Home
Around the Community
YUConnects and YIW Welcome Singles
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UConnects, together with Young Israel of Woodmere, recently hosted its seventh Springtime Shabbos for singles, dedicated in memory of Linda Mitgang, a”h. Offering a fun, comfortable environment to mix and mingle, Shabbos, June 1 was a wonderful weekend of neighborhood hospitality with multiple meeting opportunities. Each event targets different ages and religious orientations. This year, Woodmere welcomed 56 guests, ages 22 to 27, evenly mixed between men and women. Friday night was an elegant catered meal at Young Israel of Woodmere with participants enjoying the delicious food and making new friends. Conversations flowed freely, divrei Torah were offered and many of the participants formed their own walking groups back to their hosts’ homes. Shabbos afternoon offered something for everyone. A dessert oneg with an interactive group speed dating game allowed each person to meet one another. Afterwards, ten excellent local matchmakers volunteered to informally meet with those who wished to speak to them; other guests preferred to play board games and relax for an hour or so. A highlight of the Shabbos was
the joint shalosh seudos hosted by Dr. Josh and Melissa Mitgang in their home. With the community pitching in to create a gala spread, each guest was amazed at the tastefulness (and tastiness) at the lovely house. Of course, the organizers also offered icebreakers and contests like giant Jenga and other team-building challenges which encouraged further meeting. One young man remarked that he was impressed by the warmth at the musical havdala and was “bowled over” by the caravan of cars waiting outside the Mitgang home after Shabbos to chauffer each person back to their host. Most importantly, there were many dates already made from the Shabbos. A few couples went out the
next day and others are requesting information and making arrangements. There are over 145 separate requests to the connectors and considerate shul members are eagerly calling YUConnects with dating ideas for some of the young people they encountered. This year, like last year, the event was underwritten by the Mitgang, Silvera, Silver, and Kaminetzky families in memory of their dear wife/mother, Mrs. Linda Mitgang, a”h. Linda was a beloved community member, wife, mother, and grandmother. She was the ultimate eishes chayil who loved her family and wanted to see others happily married and living a Jewish life. For this reason, her family thought that sponsoring this annual weekend together with YUConnects
and Young Israel of Woodmere would be a loving tribute to her memory. YUConnects, a project of Yeshiva University’s Center for the Jewish Future, offers unique social events, targeted matchmaking, and educational programs to foster healthy relationships toward marriage. Celebrating its 363rd engagement, YUConnects is self-funded, open to the entire Jewish community, and maintains a friendly office at Yeshiva University. Sponsorships of future programs are excellent ways to honor or memorialize a loved one.
cast, crew and extra helpers worked together as a team and covered for each other, assisted with set changes and did everything necessary to ensure the success of the show. A special thank you to Mrs. Kahn and
Mrs. Nurieli for all their hard work in making sure the show went on. Additional thanks to Gitty and Keira Kahn for running the professional lights and sound system, and to the PTA for their generous support.
To learn more about YUConnects, email yuconnects@yu.edu, call 646592-4259, or visit www.yuconnects. com.
Broadway Comes to HANC
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roadway came to HANC’s Samuel and Elizabeth Bass Golding’s Elementary School in West Hempstead last week as the Performing Arts Club presented a wonderful rendition of the play, A Walk in the Woods. Under the direction of Mrs. Sari Kahn, a HANC parent and the Director of NCSY’s Camp Maor (an overnight performing arts camp), and assistant director, Mrs. Kira Nurieli, the children performed with confidence and enthusiasm. For the fourth year, this performance marked the culmination of six months of work on developing acting skills that included line interpretation, improvisation, blocking and character development. Fifteen children from grades 3-6 performed in the play, and they were assisted by three children working the technological elements, and five seventh grade “graduates” who came back to help out as well.
Every aspect of the play, from the costumes, to the sets, to the sound, were professionally done and very impressive. The sold-out audience was delighted with the funny, whimsical and entertaining show. The