By COLlive reporter
With his 50th birthday approaching, Crown Heights businessman Dovid Junik said he had a hunch his family would be surprising him with some sort of celebration. But with most of the country restricted and closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, he didn’t think it would be much of a big deal.
But through the efforts of his wife, Chanie, his family managed to pull off a celebration which totally “blew him away,” he said.
His surprise began when he joined his family for a beautiful meal prepared by his wife.
“During the party, my wife presented me with a stunning book of poems written in my honor by my friends. Afterwards, she had prepared a scavenger hunt, which ended off with the instruction for us to sit outside on the porch and read through the book.”
As they sat on the porch of their home on Montgomery Street, a parade of over 50 cars, driven by Junik’s family and friends, began to drive by. Chanie Junik had arranged for Dovid’s many family and friends to do a drive-by parade, many bearing festive signs and balloons. Many stopped to wish the real estate businessman and frequent donor to many causes heartfelt brachos on the milestone birthday.
“My wife surprised me in a huge way by organizing this incredible party, and it was beyond touching,” Junik told COLlive. “It was extremely heartwarming, and I just felt such a sense of love and warmth from so many people that are in my life. It’s always so humbling when people come out and do things for you like that. It’s just been an outpouring from all over,” he said.
The special day continued with an emotional visit to the Rebbe’s Ohel, and a zoom birthday farbrengen joined by his entire former class of Oholei Torah during the day on Thursday.
True to Junik’s character, his birthday was also celebrated with gifts from him to his friends.
Before Shabbos, each family of Bais Shmuel Chabad Shul, where he is a longtime member, received a hand-delivered gift package with a bottle of wine, a Chayenu and a newsletter, “so we could celebrate together but apart,” he said.
“Someone said to me after Shabbos that receiving that package was so special, because with everyone isolated now, we could sometimes feel like we are alone, but getting it made them feel like we are truly part of a community.”
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Such beautiful achdus and hakeres hatov. Chabad shines . Wonderful haylikeh yidden.
Happy Bday to the Best David Junik!!!
Rubins