MY NEW HERO - ADAM - Don't ever give up!

Cancer Warrior Luke Speaks at Chai Lifeline Awards Dinner 2013

Dear Friends, Family, and Colleagues,

A few weeks ago, I crossed the most incredible finish line of any bike ride in the world! The feeling of exhilaration as I rode into Chai Lifeline’s Camp Simcha is something I can still feel and know that I will continue to feel for weeks. You see, the 175-mile ride into Camp Simcha is not about the months of training, the fundraising efforts, or the swag. This 175-mile ride is about bringing smiles to the faces of kids who have many reasons not to smile. The kids at Camp Simcha have one terrible thing in common: they all have cancer or other serious illnesses that rob them of their childhood, and those amazing smiles we take for granted on our own kids. It’s the smiles I saw as I rode into Camp Simcha that are going to keep that feeling alive for me for weeks to come!

However, I didn’t cross this incredible finish line alone. As my valued sponsors, YOU crossed that line with me! As a partner with me, you helped bring smiles to the faces of kids with cancer.  You gave them a reason for hope, a reason to fight, no matter the pain and isolation that comes along with their diseases. Thank you for being my partner.

Chai Lifeline is so much more than Camp Simcha! My wife and I are chairs of Chai Lifeline’s Young Leaders division and through our involvement we have come to see just how much Chai Lifeline does every single day in Los Angeles, on the West Coast, across the country, and in other parts of the world. In their own quiet yet professional way, without fanfare, they do tremendous things – getting a kid in to see a doctor in New York within 2 days when it normally takes 4 or 5 months; battling an insurance company to cover a little girl’s chemotherapy; bringing meals to siblings at home while parents are at their son’s bedside in the hospital, just so they have one less thing to stress about; and much, much more! 

Thank you so much for helping me get to the finish line, thereby supporting this incredible organization. If by chance you would like a deeper understanding of what the organization does to impact sick children going through the fight of their young lives, as well as their families going along for this horrible journey, please feel free to contact myself or Ryan Hyman.  I have copied Ryan on this email, and if you would like to spend a few minutes of your time to meet in person and learn firsthand why Chai Lifeline is not only a critically important organization, but why it means so much to me too, by all means, please reach out to one of us.

Regards,

Matthew Kest

Happy - Camp Simcha Special Music Video

Each summer, 450 seriously ill children are treated to unforgettable, medically supervised overnight camp experiences at Camp Simcha, for children battling cancer and other hematological illnesses, and Camp Simcha Special, for children with debilitating chronic conditions.

At Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special, children and teens trade hospital rooms and doctors' offices for fun, friendship, and hope for the future. Campers enjoy traditional camp activities in fully handicapped-accessible facilities. Talent shows, concerts, and helicopter, hot-air, and motorcycle rides make every day super-special.

Campers return home reinvigorated, with deep friendships and happy memories to help them travel the rough road ahead.

http://chailifeline.org | http://campsimcha.org

Since 1987, Chai Lifeline and its affiliates' mission has been to restore the light of childhood to children whose innocence ended when life-threatening or lifelong illness was diagnosed.

Through programs that address the emotional, social, and financial needs of seriously ill children, their families, and communities, Chai Lifeline restores normalcy to family life, and better enables families to withstand the crises and challenges of serious pediatric illness.

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Filmed by Akiva Bomzer
Edited by Akiva Bomzer and Nachman Taub
Directed by Tzvi Haber

'Happy' by Pharrell Williams

Chai Lifeline Celebrates ‘The Roads to Healing’ At Annual Gala Dinner

Over 1,100 people joined Chai Lifeline at their Annual Gala Dinner held at the Marriott Marquis. The dinner’s theme, “The Roads to Healing,” highlighted the extraordinarily diverse experiences of the more than 4,300 children and families served by the international organization. “Every family’s journey is unique,” noted Rabbi Simcha Scholar, Chai Lifeline’s executive vice president. “But the one thing that every journey has in common is that Chai Lifeline has made it an easier road to travel.”

This year’s Gala honored a group of people whose tireless work and support has been as distinctive as they each are. Benji and Raissa Samet were presented with the Camp Simcha Appreciation Award. After four years as a Camp Simcha counselor and a year-round volunteer, Benji transitioned into a dedicated alumnus of the camp staff. Together with his wife, Raissa, Benji has been an integral force in defining ways for alumni to remain involved in the organization. He has taken the lead in creating “Time for Two,” a new program that helps parents de-stress for a few hours by sending them on a “date night” to a New York restaurant or by taking their children for a few hours of a fun activity.Chai Lifeline shows appreciation for alumnus Benji Samet and wife, Raissa

Dr. Richard O’Reilly, Retiring Medical Pioneer, Named Maimonides Legacy Award Recipient

Dr. Richard O’Reilly, chief of pediatrics and the head of the bone marrow transplantation service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, was honored for his career of advancing transplantation and saving young lives. “Though he is retiring from Memorial Sloan Kettering, he leaves a legacy of advances in transplant medicine that has already given so many families a precious gift of life, and is providing the building blocks for more breakthroughs,” Rabbi Scholar noted.

Dr. O’Reilly’s compassion and generosity was noted by master of ceremonies Charlie Harary. “He is well-known to families whose children have had bone marrow transplants, even those whose transplants are performed in other hospitals, as he graciously will talk to anyone in this terrible position,” Harary said.

Drs. Brenda Kohn and Walter Molofsky presented with Medical Leadership Award

A very unusual couple, partners in life and in saving lives, received the Medical Leadership Award. Brenda Kohn, MD is the director of pediatric endocrinology at NYU Langone Medical Center. Her husband, Walter Molofsky, MD, is the medical director of pediatric neurology of the Mount Sinai Medical System, which recently grew to include the Beth Israel Medical Center. The doctors have been staunch supporters of Chai Lifeline since its inception. They understand the impact of Chai Lifeline upon young lives firsthand, as both have patients who are also Chai Lifeline clients.

“In the fall, we hear stories of (our patients’) Camp Simcha experiences. Soon after, they start counting down until they can go back,” Dr. Molofsky explained.

Chai Lifeline parents presented with Chai Heritage Award

Mike and Karen Oz, who discovered Chai Lifeline when their child, Leya, entered The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, received the 2013 Chai Heritage Award. Leya had been in a New York hospital for more than four months when her desperate parents transferred her to CHOP. She was diagnosed with SCID (Severe Combined Immunity Deficiency) and an emergency bone marrow transplant was performed. The Oz family moved to Philadelphia for more than year for Leya’s treatment; Chai Lifeline’s case manager in the hospital was a constant reassuring presence in their lives.

Rabbi Scholar stated that “The supportive relationship between Karen, Mike and Chai Lifeline is really what we are all about. The Oz’s didn’t need a lot of concrete services; what they needed was a hand to hold, a reassuring phone call, a daily visit, reassurances, information, help navigating the hospital system, and hope. The friendship that has grown between us is a result of the supportive relationship that was nurtured during those months.”

Friends and Fun Weekends Dedicated at Event

The event also marked the dedication of Friends ‘N Fun Weekends in memory of Sari Ort, a cherished member of the Chai Lifeline family who lost her battle with cancer.

Sari courageously fought cancer for three years. She spent summers in Camp Simcha and maintained the important friendships with peers and counselors year-round. Her family joined with other Teaneck leaders earlier this year to create a memorable Friends ‘n Fun weekend in the community.

Friends ‘n Fun weekends bring campers together during the year for a booster shot of the confidence, courage, and friendship they experience at Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special. They spend a weekend in a community together with their counselors and a medical staff. It gives the community a chance to see Chai Lifeline in action, and to become involved on a grass-roots level.

Capacity crowd Reflects Organization’s Impact, Caseload and Universal Support

The diversity of Chai Lifeline supporters and clients was evident in the crowded Marriott Ballroom. Parents from Williamsburg greeted peers from the Upper East Side, new friends they met in treatment clinics and pediatric specialists’ offices around the greater New York area. Monsey businessmen chatted with Wall Street bankers as they walked together from the reception to the dinner. Master of ceremonies Charlie Harary underscored the all-encompassing nature of Chai Lifeline’s work.

“Through case management, referrals, hospital visits, respite, food, transportation assistance to Big Brothers/Sisters, recreation, sibling programs, counseling, retreats and family celebrations, Chai Lifeline interfaces with children and families from every spectrum of the Jewish community. Regardless of orientation, our families have one very important thing in common: they are all living with pediatric illness. Caring for them…helping them live each day with hope…enabling them to get through the crises and challenges of their lives…that is the mission of Chai Lifeline.”

Videos produced by BIG Productions.

- See more at: http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/human-interest/207904/videos-photos-chai-lifeline-celebrates-the-roads-to-healing-at-annual-gala-dinner.html#sthash.VgXS3qqf.dpuf

Bike4chai 2013 entering camp simcha

Wall of Fame - Camp Simcha Cancer Warriors at Times Square

Camp Simcha campers and staff stormed the bleachers at the crossroads of the world for an inspirational "Wall of Fame" musical performance under the bright lights of Broadway.

#SimchaFame

Wall of Fame is a Camp Simcha cover of Hall of Fame by The Script feat. will.i.am.

Each summer, 450 seriously ill children are treated to unforgettable, medically supervised overnight camp experiences at Camp Simcha, for children battling cancer and other hematological illnesses, and Camp Simcha Special, for children with debilitating chronic conditions.

At Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special, children and teens trade hospital rooms and doctors' offices for fun, friendship, and hope for the future. Campers enjoy traditional camp activities in fully handicapped-accessible facilities. Talent shows, concerts, and helicopter, hot-air, and motorcycle rides make every day super-special.

Campers return home reinvigorated, with deep friendships and happy memories to help them travel the rough road ahead.

http://chailifeline.org | http://campsimcha.org

Since 1987, Chai Lifeline and its affiliates' mission has been to restore the light of childhood to children whose innocence ended when life-threatening or lifelong illness was diagnosed.

Through programs that address the emotional, social, and financial needs of seriously ill children, their families, and communities, Chai Lifeline restores normalcy to family life, and better enables families to withstand the crises and challenges of serious pediatric illness.

Jewish Music Superstars Send Their Birthday Wishes to Chai Lifeline Warrior!

Rabbi Boruch Chait Gives Chizuk To Chai LifeLine Teen

Camp Simcha Opens For Summer

MBD & FRIENDS JOIN FORCES WITH CHAI LIFELINE CANADA

he music of Mordechai Ben David inspires millions around the world. But a private performance for the children and families of Chai Lifeline brought new meaning to the word for all who heard the singer's ethereal notes and words.

The idea for the very special event came from a community leader and Chai Lifeline Canada board member who uses his musical gifts to bring joy to the bedsides of very sick children. Among them is Avi, whose illness has left him weak and bedridden.


"Avi is in a tremendous amount of pain, but every time we would sing for him, he would come alive. You'd quickly forget he was sick," he explained. Over the past few weeks, Avi's bed was moved to the living room of his house to accommodate the many visitors and well-wishers. With the help of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Gryfe, Chai Lifeline Canada decided to bring the musical master to him.

Once the concert was arranged the board member decided to expand the impact for Chai Lifeline's families. A local family generously opened their home, and more than 70 children, parents, and invited guests greeted Ben David upon his arrival.

Ben David was joined by a number of musicians whose contributions enabled the music to soar from the living room to the heavens. Sheya Mendlowitz, Abie Rotenberg, Rivie Schwebel, Baruch Chait and Shlomo Simcha harmonized for hours, accompanied by Yanky Briskman and Yochanan Chait.

The music worked its magic on Avi and the other children who attended. "When I saw Mordechai Ben David show up, I could not believe it. Then spending time with him ... That was crazy, crazy, crazy awesome," the teen exclaimed.

His mother, Bracha, said that the excitement hasn't worn off. "I have the chills. We are still talking about the evening. Avi keeps saying, 'Mommy, he was holding my hand. We were praying together.' There was such power and spirituality in the room. I literally felt the floor shake."

"It was really an inspiring and moving evening," agreed Yummy Schachter, a member of the Chai Lifeline Canada board. "You could see the tremendous power that music has. The music takes these children to a different place. They are no longer thinking about the pain and they, along with their families, escape the reality of what they are dealing with for a short while."

Schachter said that the evening will be with him for a long time. "Whenever I came to sing with Avi, I thought I was there to inspire him and his family. I have come to realize that I am the one who ends up being inspired most... inspired by the kids' strength, the families' strength, the power of music and prayer and the incredible work of Chai Lifeline."

Rabbi Rothman, Executive Director of Chai Lifeline Canada, agreed that the event was an incredible experience for all who were there. "We are grateful to the board members and donors who made the evening possible. When I looked around and saw the smiles and joy in our children's faces, I saw the difference that love and compassion can make to families in the midst of very challenging circumstances."

Although he couldn't attend, Rabbi Simcha Scholar, executive vice president of Chai Lifeline, said he wasn't surprised to learn that the evening had made such a difference to Avi and his Chai Lifeline friends. "It shows you what can be done when people come together to help our most vulnerable children and their families."

Chai Lifeline Volunteer Slideshow

CLL Volunteer Slideshow for Vimeo from Camp Simcha on Vimeo.

My new hero: Alex (Avi) Berkowitz

Civil trial attorney with Alex (Avi) Berkowitz @ Kids of Courage Shabbaton



After a fantastic Camp Simcha Special summer experience, Alexander (aka Avi) was about to board a plane back to Tampa, FL when Chai Lifeline made his dream come true. Sam Zaks showed up with a brand new Nikon D90, a gift from Chai Lifeline and an anonymous donor who met him last week during a visit to camp.

Alexander had been a budding photographer until his accident two years ago, and the camera will allow him get back in the game on a new level. He was clearly moved when presented with the gift outside the Continental Airlines terminal at Newark Airport, and was ecstatic to be sharing the moment with his counselor and friends. As the video shows, he could not stop smiling as the group crowded around him, singing and cheering in true Camp Simcha Special EPIC '11 fashion.

Many thanks to Avi's counselors, Yoni Burstyn & Yaakov Avigdor, for initiating this wonderful surprise.

Each summer, 400 seriously ill children are treated to unforgettable, medically supervised overnight camp experiences at Camp Simcha, for children battling cancer and other hematological illnesses, and Camp Simcha Special, for children with debilitating chronic conditions.

At Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special, children and teens trade hospital rooms and doctors' offices for fun, friendship, and hope for the future. Campers enjoy traditional camp activities in fully handicapped-accessible facilities. Talent shows, concerts, and helicopter, hot-air, and motorcycle rides make every day super-special.

Campers return home reinvigorated, with deep friendships and happy memories to help them travel the rough road ahead.

Enrique Iglesias - I Like How It Feels - Cancer Kids Cover at Camp Simcha - Happiness Heals

On July 24, 2012 Camp Simcha, an overnight camp for children battling cancer and other hematological illnesses, staged an Occupy Cancer rally at Zuccotti Park and lined the warning track at Citi Field to sing the National Anthem before the Mets game. We created this video to empower others to brighten the world for children battling cancer. Everyone had a blast making this video and we hope you enjoy it as well.

Each summer, 450 seriously ill children are treated to unforgettable, medically supervised overnight camp experiences at Camp Simcha, for children battling cancer and other hematological illnesses, and Camp Simcha Special, for children with debilitating chronic conditions.

At Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special, children and teens trade hospital rooms and doctors' offices for fun, friendship, and hope for the future. Campers enjoy traditional camp activities in fully handicapped-accessible facilities. Talent shows, concerts, and helicopter, hot-air, and motorcycle rides make every day super-special.

Campers return home reinvigorated, with deep friendships and happy memories to help them travel the rough road ahead.

Since 1987, Chai Lifeline and its affiliates' mission has been to restore the light of childhood to children whose innocence ended when life-threatening or lifelong illness was diagnosed.

Through programs that address the emotional, social, and financial needs of seriously ill children, their families, and communities, Chai Lifeline restores normalcy to family life, and better enables families to withstand the crises and challenges of serious pediatric illness.

Videography: Akiva Bomzer, Yoni Oscherowitz, Yossi Stern, & Shimi Fuerst

Editing: Akiva Bomzer and Michoel Weichbrod

Music: Ruli Ezrachi, Zevi Kaufman, Shmuly Glick, Mendy Portnoy, & Mikey Holder

Camp simcha dance citi field

Chai Lifeline: Abie Rotenberg at Journey to Niagara for Teens with Cancer

Chai Lifeline: Celebrate 25 Years of Simcha

Chai Lifeline: Baruch Levine at Wish at the Wall Benefit Evening

Chai Lifeline Chanukah 2011 - Spread the Light - Fighting Illness with Love Around the World

Thousands of children and their families were granted a reprieve from the daily grind of illness this Chanukah when they gathered at parties around the world to celebrate the miracle of Chanukah as well as miracles of their own.

Participants in the US, Canada, England, Israel & Belgium were treated to performances by world renowned recording artists, performers, and clowns. There was music, singing and dancing, delicious food, & crafts. The highlight of each evening were the toys the children received thanks to the Honey Engel Toy Drive, the Ossie Schonfeld Toy Fund, our generous sponsors, schools, and synagogues. Many thanks to Lev Leytzan & Misameach for bringing holiday cheer.

Music made possible by The Ariella Horenstein Music in Our Lives Program

Many thanks to our dedicated volunteers for making it all possible!

Since 1987, Chai Lifeline and its affiliates' mission has been to restore the light of childhood to children whose innocence ended when life-threatening or lifelong illness was diagnosed.

Through programs that address the emotional, social, and financial needs of seriously ill children, their families, and communities, Chai Lifeline restores normalcy to family life, and better enables families to withstand the crises and challenges of serious pediatric illness.

Chai Lifeline: Yehuda Green at Friends N' Fun Weekend Highland Park/Edison