Bloomberg Hosts Exclusive Party

By COLlive reporter
Photos: Yossi Percia

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg hosted his annual festive Chanukah party at the Jewish Heritage Museum in Battery Park in Manhattan on Wednesday.

City officials, leaders of Jewish communities and Jewish organizations in New York and supporters were invited for a cocktail reception, mingling over hors d’oeuvres and wine.

In the crowd were First Deputy Mayor Patricia E. Harris, Permanent Ambassador of Israel to the UN Ron Proser, Israeli consulate general Ido Aharoni, Consulate spokesman and media affairs consul Shahar Azani, Councilman David Greenfeld and NYPD Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.

From Crown Heights attendees included Chanina Sperlin – Intergovernmental liaison for the CHJCC, Eli Cohen – Director of the Crown Heights Jewish Community Council, Yaakov Behrman of Lubavitch.com and Devorah Halberstam of the Jewish Children’s Museum.

Also present were Yossi Soffer, CEO of Unique Image Advertising and Mica Soffer, Publisher of COLlive.com.

In his remarks, Bloomberg joked that on his Chanukah gift wish list is that the Giants and Jets make the playoffs in the year 5772. And, he quipped, maybe even the Knicks.

The Menorah was lit by Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, Chairman of the NY Board of Rabbis, as the crowd joined in and sang the blessings in unison.

Famed Chassidic entertainer Lipa Schmeltzer sang Maoz Tzur and some Jewish classics, accompanied by the Freilach Band.

The event was produced by Yaron Levy, Lubavitch owner of Pearl Productions, who has just returned from a successful concert tour with Schmeltzer, Avraham Fried and the Freilach Band in South America.

“Chanukah is special here in New York City,” said Mayor Bloomberg. “Not only are we home to a tremendous and diverse community, but we are a city that truly understands that miracles can happen.”