ELEM-Entry NY’s Sixth Community Dinner

March 6, 2013

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of coordinating ELEM-Entry NY’s Sixth Community Dinner in the glamorous Upper East Side home of ELEM-Youth in Distress in Israel board member Marilyn Butler. We were there to raise money to help rehabilitate teens lured into Israel’s ever growing teen prostitution population.

Marilyn, a most gracious host, arranged for a delicious meal, featuring salads, salmon, chicken and lots more. Yuval Sheer, ELEM-Entry co-chair emeritus, and his amazing one-year-old son, Leo (the evening’s real star), and I readied things for the intimate gathering.

Yuval asked me to speak about the “Awake at Night” (Erim Bayala) program. Everyone expressed interest in learning about the program and to gain an understanding of why it is so important to make donations.

I showed an alarming video prepared by ELEM-Entry NY, which highlighted a pimp who got caught for forcing teens into the sex trade. The video also showed the efforts Knesset was making in its endeavors in trying to crack down on teen prostitution.

I also talked about how the some of the youngest, more innocent children don’t even get to keep the money they are paid. Instead, they are forced to turn it over to their pimps.

Following our discussion, we were delighted by the musical talents of Israeli up and coming musicians Mika Hary, vocalist, and Dan Nadel, guitar. They played several wonderful songs and then took requests. Our guests, in unison, all asked for a Leonard Cohen song. Mika and Dan broke into an amazing version of “Hallelujah.” All of us joined in. It brought a smile to my face, feeling this unity in the cause to help Israeli kids in need.

It channeled me back to my memories of the “Meet a Star Under Starlight” event and 2011 ELEM Gala Dinner. It featured Israeli Idol winner Diana Golbi, who was rescued by ELEM during her teen years. “Hallelujah” was her encore performance at both events.

This was my fourth Community Dinner. I look forward to my fifth. But I really look forward to the day we can have an ELEM-Entry NY Dinner to celebrate how we eliminated the harsh problems of the children we help rescue in Israel.

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