Expanding The Circle Of Friendship

by Sydney Rae Appelbaum

“Teach a child according to his needs and even when he is old, he will not depart from
it.”
Proverbs 22:6

How is one to define the word special? Is it merely a term that helps to segregate one entity from another? Does the word illustrate a preference or an entitlement? If this is how the word special is commonly understood, what does it mean to have special needs? As Gov. Sarah Palin stated at the Republican National Convention, “Children with special needs inspire a special love.”
A child with special needs refers to someone that requires routine, adjustment of
expectations, special accommodations and around-the-clock care. However, my
heartwarming experience working with the Friendship Circle has taught me otherwise.

The Friendship Circle is an international nonprofit organization started in 1994 under the auspices of the Chabad in West Bloomfield Hills, Mich. At that time there were only eight volunteers. Today over 100 circles are providing love, care and inspiration to thousands. Like a stone cast into a pond, the ripple effect continues.

The circle is based on the biblical commandment, “To love your fellow as yourself.” This organization is like no other. While other groups offer therapy and counseling or raise funds to help find cures, the circle is simply about the fun and love that friendship fosters. God could have created a perfect world, a world free of suffering, poverty, illness and injustice. But He created the world imperfectly and us flawed so that we could improve it ourselves and grow spiritually. Devora Wilhelm, director of the Upper East Side Chabad, explained to the volunteers that these special souls are sent to this world for a very specific mission and they have positive effects on the people around them.

Friendship Circle pairs special needs children with a teen volunteer. Some volunteers experience trepidation at first but everyone participates at the level that is comfortable for them. There is no pressure. I participate in the Friends At Home program at the Chabad of the Upper East Side and have worked with the same friend for the past four years. Brocha, my adorable

5-year-old friend who has Down syndrome, jumps on me excitedly every time we see each other.
As much as I give of myself, it doesn’t measure up to what special needs children feel they are receiving. Brocha has a very busy calendar fraught with many therapy dates but few play dates. However, during our outings to Carl Schurz Park I am inundated by parents often wanting to introduce their children to Brocha, to teach tolerance at a young age. People fear what they do not understand.

It had been years since I rode a tricycle, stuck my hand in a fish tank, played with glitter glue and said prayers over grape juice and a plastic challah. Brocha and I focus on what we share rather than on our differences that divide us. Our friendship fosters equality. There is something very tranquil about working with Brocha. There are no judgments; my young friend does not care what I look like. She doesn’t look at my shoes and notice that they aren’t the newest Tory Burch quilted flats that everyone has at school.
Some families gain more than friends for their children. “The Friendship Circle has brought Judaism into our home,” explains Rhonda Miller, a Maryland Friendship Circle parent of 15-year-old Jamie. “After my daughter Jamie and her friend made decorations for the Chabad sukkah, she insisted that we build our own sukkah.”

My work with the Friendship Circle has taught me about facing adversity, overcoming obstacles, personal triumph, love and the true measure of a human being. I am inspired by Brocha and am humbled by her accomplishments. Brocha has taught me the true value of friendship. Volunteering for the Friendship Circle makes a difference but what people do not understand is that it is the children with special needs who make a difference in our lives. I have learned that one hour a week is enough to change a lifetime forever.
Working with children with special needs teaches you to live; every moment is special to them. The Friendship Circle has taught me how important it is to spend time with people who truly care about you. Through Friendship Circle, unconditional love blossoms.

For more information on the Friendship Circle and upcoming events
visit Friendshipcircle.org.

Sydney Rae Appelbaum is a senior at Abraham Joshua Heschel High School in Manhattan.

World's Largest Chanukah Menorah on Fifth Avenue

Menorah Designed by Yaakov Agam

NEW YORK, Dec. 3 /PRNewswire/ --

The World's Largest Chanukah Menorah will be erected at New York's most fashionable plaza, Fifth Avenue and 59th Street, by Central Park, between the Plaza and the Pierre Hotels. The Menorah will be lighted on all evenings of Chanukah. The first candle of Chanukah is lighted on Tuesday, Dec. 4th and the last (eight) candles of Chanukah will be lighted on Tuesday evening, December 11th, at 5:30 pm.
The Menorah certified by the McGinnis Book of Records as the World's Largest, sponsored by the Lubavitch Youth Organization was specially designed by world renowned artist Yaakov Agam. Yaakov Agam's design was inspired by a hand drawing by the Rambam (Maimonides) of the original Menorah in the Holy Temple of Jerusalem.
The 32-foot high, gold colored, 4,000 pound steel structure will be lighted nightly with genuine oil lamps. Specially designed glass chimneys will protect the Chanukah lights from the Central Park winds.
"The Menorah stands as a symbol of freedom and democracy, strength and inspiration delivering a timely and poignant message to each person on an individual basis." said Rabbi Shmuel M. Butman, Director of the Lubavitch Youth Organization, who will light the Menorah nightly together with special dignitaries.
Due to the height of the Menorah, it will be lit nightly with the help of a Con Edison "cherry-picker" crane that will lift the lighters to the "Menorah Heights."
The lighting of the World's Largest Chanukah Menorah is always the central event of Chanukah for the millions of residents of New York and visitors to the Big Apple. It is also a favorite with the International media who put the World's Largest Chanukah Menorah in the center of their "Chanukah story," bringing the World's Largest Menorah into the homes of hundreds of millions of people throughout the world.
On Sunday evening, December 9th, special Chanukah celebrations will take place at the World's Largest Chanukah Menorah. The celebration will include live music, singing and dancing, "Chanukah Gelt" for the children and hot "Latkes" (potato pancakes), the traditional food of Chanukah, will be distributed to everyone. "We want people to 'taste' the tradition," said Rabbi Butman.
A campaign for millions
New York's most popular radio stations, WCBS and WINS, will carry a steady Chanukah call to millions of people to "Come light the Menorah." The message of Rabbi Butman is for every one to light the Menorah in their own home, "It's exciting, it's triumphant. It's many voices as one cheering light over darkness, joy over sorrow, freedom over oppression."
"The prominence of the Menorah carries an additional message," adds Rabbi Butman. "The Rebbe teaches that soon there will be another light, an eternal light, the eternal light of Moshiach, the eternal light of the Great Redemption."
The lighting schedule for the Worlds Largest Chanukah Menorah is as follows: Tuesday, December 4 - 5:30 PM
Wednesday, December 5 - 5:30 PM
Thursday, December 6 - 5:30 PM
Friday, December 7 - 3:45 PM
Shabbos (Saturday) evening, December 8 - 8:00 PM
Sunday, December 9 - 5:30 PM
Monday, December 10 - 8:00 PM
Tuesday, December 11 - 5:30 PM
For more information call 917 287 7770