“The year is 2010….Leah Larson, now Caras and I sat together and imagined: Jewish girls around the world united through learning and singing virtually…. blogs connecting girls to each other… a safe online forum where girls share ideas… contests where girls express their talents… Year round retreats where girls meet in person…. a community where girls feel loved and accepted by peers and mentors……Welcome today to Jewish Girls Unite!”
This is how Nechama Laber, Global Director of Jewish Girls Unite, the global community for all Jewish girls, opened the 3rd Annual JGU Global Celebration and 1st One More Light Book Launch. She welcomed the 180 guests in attendance and the hundreds of viewers online.
Nechama thanked all the table hostesses and Linda & Ory Schwartz – JGU & One More Light Founders, The Seymour Fox Foundation – JGR Scholarship Fund and Hannah & Yehudah Chakoff – the One More Light Book Underwriters.
Susan Axelrod, JGU Global Strategy Advisor thanked the JGU GLOBAL LEADERSHIP TEAM:
Leah Caras – JGU & JGR Website & Graphics, Ahuvah Coates – COC Art Coach, Chaviva Tarlow – COC Music Coach, Yedida Wolfe – COC Writing Coach, Julie Hintz – JGU Admin & JGR Coordinator, Ariella Sapoznik – BBM facilitator, Miriam Yerushalmi – JGU Resource Provider, Chaya Laber – JGR Staff Coordinator, Gitta Gammal – JGR Chef, and Chavie Resnick – JGR Assistant Director.
“At JGU we’re creating leaders together, girls who will grow up to be confident Jewish women, leading our families, communities and organizations”, said Susan.
Nechama thanked the team of educators who come together monthly on the JGU Educators Forum for discussions and global broadcasts to unite our girls through creativity and innovation.
The honoree, Miriam Yerushalmi received the 1st JGU Creative Educators Award. Tani Minkowitz, Chaviva Tarlow and Devorah Serraf received the JGU Shining Stars Leadership Award.
Tani spoke about the impact of her summers at the Jewish Girls Retreat. Chaviva and Devorah sang original Shabbos songs accompanied by the Impact band and talented pianist, Mirele Rosenberger. Chaviva led the Chassidic Expressions Choir.
This special evening launched the third candle lighting book. Nechama recalled being photographed gazing at a Shabbos candle when she was 5 years old. This photograph was printed in a special book called “A Candle of my Own;” a book initiated by the Rebbe that included entries by Jewish girls from all backgrounds in 1979.
Nearly 4 decades later, Nechama presented the 3rd candle lighting book – titled ONE MORE LIGHT – with 140 submissions from Jewish girls of all backgrounds from around the world. Nechama said, “I am sure that the Rebbe is proud of every one of our Jewish daughters who have added their One More Light to this book.”
Mrs. Esther Sternberg, Head of the Mivtza Neshek Candle Lighting Campaign was publicly thanked for supporting the idea and sharing instructions that the Rebbe gave her for the publications of books one and two.
The special evening concluded with the global launch of a tribute song in memory of Thalia Hakin of Melbourne, Australia who was a victim of an attack in Melbourne’s Central Business District. She was 10 years old.
Thalia, a student at the Beth Rivkah Primary School in Melbourne, wrote a poem for the Jewish Girls Unite Shabbos Candles Writing Contest in Sept. 2015. A special page has been dedicated to Thalia obm in the One More Light Book with her words of hope.
Rivka Leah Cylich, an extremely talented composer, musician and singer, was moved to set Thalia’s words to music. The music was produced by world renowned singer/songwriter Sam Glaser.
“Thalia has left us a legacy of light, her words bring light and hope to a dark world! Sarah Imeinu and her namesake Thalia obm – whose Hebrew name is Sarah bat Mazal, are depending on us to keep their legacy alive,” Nechama Laber told the crowd.
Please sign up to Invite to Light at 1morelight.com. Together, we will drive away the darkness and light up our world forever.
Click Here to order the One More Light Book, a gift for women and girls to treasure for generations.
It was very special. Event full of lights,
Go miryam from strength. To. Strength,
And continue to bring nachat to rabbi.
With your shlichot.
I really enjoyed the program. All the best
To you and your family. And ישר כח to nechama
Laber for the. Hard work.
May this lights will bring. Moshiach. Now,