017 Newsletter 102, Volume 1 Issue 2

March 2017
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Tzeit Schrift
The Met Council Holocaust Survivor Program Newsletter

Welcome to Another Edition of Our Newsletter

Firstly, I would like to thank all of our readers for all the positive feedback on our last newsletter. It was no
nice receiving your phone calls and letters and we are so glad that you all enjoyed reading it.

In this edition of the Met Council Holocaust Survivor Program Tzeit Schrift Newsletter you will find a write-up and
photographs from our past social events. You will also find information on our upcoming social events and how you
can be added to our mailing list and take part in these events.

The Met Council Holocaust Survivor Program is expanding by leaps and bounds, as we have been able to put on so
many amazing social events all over New York City for thousands of Survivors. We feel honored and privileged to be
able to serve you and look forward to many years of working together.

Best wishes for a Happy and Healthy Pesach,

Judah Zellermaier, LCSW
Holocaust Survivor Program Manager

Photography Event January, 2017

Boro Park Pre-Chanukah Event December 21, 2016

Our Social Events
Events
Hundreds of amazing Holocaust Survivors attended our
many events in Boro Park, Coney Island, Manhattan,
Washington Heights and in Queens over the past few
months.
October 2016
This past October we had events in the Coney Island
and Queens areas with a combined attendance in the
hundreds. At our event in Queens our Survivors got
together and enjoyed delicious food and some amazing
music and Yiddish-language songs. It was so nice when
the people got up and danced with each other.
At our Coney Island event
our survivors were served
a delicious four-
course meal and were
entertained with
traditional Russian
music and songs.
Some of our Survivors
addressed the crowd
with words of gratitude
and poems. We were treated to
appearances by State Senator Simcha Felder and New
York City Councilman Chaim Deutsch, both of whom
spent a considerable amount of time taking questions
and comments from our Survivors.
November 2016
In November we had a beautiful social event in
Washington Heights at the Kai Fan Kosher Asian
Restaurant in collaboration with the Washington
Heights Jewish Community Council. Our Survivors
were treated to an amazing three-course meal with
waiter service and the musical accompaniment of world- with hand-made menorah centerpieces, our Survivors
famous Russian accordionist Yuri Lemeshev. Everyone
clapped along and got into the spirit when he performed the melodic klezmer sounds of the Sympinny Orchestra
classical songs from our Survivors childhood.
We also had an outstanding event in Queens in
November with live music. It was so nice to see our
Survivors enjoy the delicious lunch and to see them
socializing with each other. It was such a treat being
able to sit down at the tables and schmooze with our
Survivors. We got to hear so many stories of how our
Survivors had made it through the Holocaust. The
music at this event was first-rate and everyone especially Yidel Perlstein who both met with many of our
enjoyed when the entertainer did his shpiel to draw in
March 2017
the people.
December 2016
December was a super special month for our Survivors.
In this month we had four spectacular events in Boro
Park, Queens, Washington Heights and a trip to two
museums and a tour of old town Philadelphia.
Our first event of the month was an amazing full-day
trip. Transportation was on provided on a beautiful
coach bus with prepared food by the upscale Orchidea
Restaurant and snacks. The Survivors visited two
museums the Museum of American Jewish History
and the Barnes Foundation Art Museum - and did a
tour of old time Philadelphia. Our Survivors had such a
great time seeing all of the exhibits and spending quality
time with each other.
Our next event in December was our massive Pre-
Chanukah event in Boro Park at the gorgeous Ateres
Golda Ballroom. Close to five hundred Holocaust
Survivors came together from all over the city for this
momentous occasion. Buses provided transportation for
the people from every neighborhood so that everyone
would be able to participate in this celebration. At the
event the Survivors were greeted and seated by a team of
white-gloved waiters and a pair of real mimes.
After entering the Ballroom our Survivors were treated
to a red carpet photo
booth where they
were able to have their
photograph taken
and printed on the
spot and placed in a
beautiful glass frame
for them to take
home. Once seated
at their table adorned
were served delicious hors doeuvres and were treated to
lead by world-class musician Zisl Slepovich. The
program continued with a majestic performance by the
one and only Lipa Schmeltzer who did such a great job
of involving the Survivors in the act. Everyone enjoyed
this so much.
The event MC, Jewish Music icon Yossi Zweig,
introduced us to New York State Senator Simcha Felder
and to New York City Community Board 12 Chairman
Survivors individually at the event. Also in attendance
at this event were Max Klineman, JFNAs Senior
Consultant, and Mark Wilf, Chair of JFNAs Holocaust
Survivor Fund. It was an honor to have them take part
in the celebration.
Our Survivors were served a wonderful meal with a
main course duo of butter-soft roast and stuffed capons
with sides of roasted vegetables and a potato knish. After
the main course was done everyone was treated to a
surprise performance by the famous bottle dancers. The
bottle dancers got everyone up on their feet and even
gave bottle-dancing lessons to our Survivors.
A magnificent dessert course of miniature cakes was
served. At the conclusion of the event our Survivors
were ushered to their bus to take them back to their
home. It was truly an event fit for a king. Our Survivors
all left with a beautiful gift bag and with all the amazing
memories they made.
In Queens the Survivors enjoyed a beautiful meal and a
dessert of fresh sufganiyot. The music at this event was
so lively and engaging that our Survivors could not help
but get up and dance. Our Survivors were all given a
special Chanukah gift tote bag with a wonderful adult
coloring book, colored pencils and a water bottle.
In Washington Heights close to two hundred of our
Survivors were in attendance at our amazing Chanukah
social event. Aside from the delicious full meal, the
Survivors were treated to wonderful live music and a
game of nostalgia-bingo. Everyone was having such
a great time. A special treat for the Survivors was the
photo booth. Everyone loved having their photo taken
with a friend. The best part was getting the photo
printed on the spot and being able to take it home in
a lovely frame. Every Survivor was also given a nice
big umbrella to keep them dry in the rain. What an
amazing event this was.
January 2017
In January we had an
unbelievable three-day
photography event
that spanned across
Brooklyn and
Queens. The
Holocaust Survivor
Program flew in
from California
Mr Clifford Lester, a
photography professor at
Cypress College and a child of Holocaust Survivors
himself, to take portraits of our Survivors. Mr Lester
and the Holocaust Survivor Programs team of social
workers spent a lot of time with our Survivors, giving
them an opportunity to tell their story and impart
their positive messages to the future generations. The
event was a major success as we were able to capture
so many amazing portraits of our Survivors. These
portraits truly tap into the essence of the person and
give the viewer a window into their life. This event
will culminate with a wonderful gallery event in the
fall where all these beautiful portraits will be displayed
for all of our Survivors to see. This will surely be an
event to remember.
Also in January our Survivors were taken on a trip to
the Broadway
show Chicago.
Our Survivors
had such a
great time and
enjoyed every
second, from the
moment they
were picked up
by the beautiful,
clean coach buses until the show was complete and
they returned home.
February 2017
February was such a fun month for our Survivors.
During this month the Holocaust Survivor Program
arranged two separate trips to Broadway shows. We
took our Survivors to see Cirque du Soleil Paramour
and Phantom of the Opera. The Survivors had such a
great time and enjoyed the shows immensely. It was so
nice to see everyone become so alive with the musical
performances.
In the month of February the Holocaust Survivor
Program sent to hundreds of our Survivors across the
city beautiful baskets filled with dried fruit, fresh nuts
and fancy chocolates. The baskets were delivered to
the Survivors door for them to enjoy. What a great
surprise it was for them all to receive these wonderful
baskets. The positive feedback we received was truly
amazing. Thank you everyone for all of your phone
calls, voicemails and letters. It was so nice to hear back
from you all how much you enjoyed it. We hope to
be able to do more of these surprise packages in the
future.
March 2017
 Our Program Staff
I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of our
amazing team of social workers in this program who are
dedicated to serving Holocaust Survivors exclusively with
all your case management, home visit and socialization
needs. We have caring, fantastic people who are
experienced, knowledgeable and extremely sensitive to the
special needs of our Holocaust Survivors.
Our program social workers are available to meet with
you individually at our JCCs in Washington Heights,
Boro Park and Queens and can also do home visits with
you. At the Washington Heights JCC we have stationed a
wonderful social worker, Vera Spektor, LMSW (212-453-
9631), who is always available and ready to serve you and
is fluent in Russian as well. At our Queens JCC we have
an amazing social worker, Aliza Leiter, LMSW (212-453-
9679). Aliza is available for you in person at the JCC and
can meet with you at your home as well.
Upcoming Social Events
We have many amazing events planned. If you would like
to be put on our mailing list for any of these events please
leave us a message at 212-453-9515.
Thank You!
We want to thank everyone involved in this program for
making it such an amazing success in such a short time.
120 Broadway, 7th floor,
New York, NY 10271-0015
March 2017
Irina Miagkova, LMSW is the Coordinator of the
Holocaust Survivor Programs Emergency Kosher Food
Home Delivery Program. Irina is a
fabulous, experienced social worker who
works with our Survivors who receive
food stamps helping them with fresh
kosher food package deliveries to their
door and with organizing cultural trips
to museums, theatres and places of interest. Irina is
available to help our Survivors across the city. Irina is
bilingual-Russian and can be reached at 212-453-9671.
We also have a new staff member on our team, Julia
Ryvkina, BA. Julia is our new Holocaust Survivor
Program Case Worker. Julia is an
exceptional case worker who is available
to meet with our Survivors in the Boro
Park/Coney Island/Brighton Beach area
in their home to assist them with their
case management needs. Julia has much
experience doing case management and is bilingual-
Russian. Julia can be reached at 212-453-9699.
$100 Gift Card Winner
We once again had a massive response to our new social
event survey questionnaire. A winner was chosen in a
raffle drawing. The winner received a $100 American
Express gift card.
Thank you so much for participating in our survey and
there will be plenty more opportunities in the future to
win other amazing prizes. Stay tuned!