Page 8 - The Jewish Voice - June '24

Page 8, The Jewish Voice BW

Local Happenings from page 6

resounding consensus of a
need for unity, particularly
since the war in Israel
began on Oct. 7. The bar
associations that partnered
for this evening included F.
Malcolm Cunningham Sr. Bar
Association, Jewish Lawyers
Association of Palm Beach
County, Palm Beach County
Bar Association, Palm Beach
County Florida Association
for Women Lawyers, Palm Jennifer Lesser, Jervonte
Beach County Hispanic Bar “Tae” Edmonds
Association, Palm Beach
County Sheree Davis Cunningham Black Women Lawyers
Association, South Palm Beach County Bar Association,
South Palm Beach County Florida Association for Women
Lawyers, and the Palm Beach County Justice Association.
“What a tremendous, inspiring evening to have so many
extraordinary leaders join together to celebrate our Jewish
culture and history and stand as allies in our mission to Though she is uncomfortable with public speaking, Cohen
continue the fight against antisemitism and all forms of shared her story of how she stood up for millions of Jews
hate,” shared Michael Hoffman, president and CEO of Jewish trapped in the Soviet Union. She spoke of the mountains that
Federation of Palm Beach County. needed to be moved in order to help these Jews who she had
never met before, affecting the largest exodus of Jews in
recent history, with over two million freed.
Hers was a deeply moving story within a story — how in
the process of finding the Soviet Jews she ended up finding
her own Jewish soul. She spoke of how her travels to the
Soviet Union exposed her to her own Jewish traditions, which
she had never really practiced. When she realized how she
was fighting for the religious freedoms of Jews she had never
met before, she quickly evolved into freeing her own Jewish
soul from the apathy and indifference she had experienced At least once a month, volunteers join Rabbi Rose
in her own youth. to serve at organizations such as Feeding Hope Village,
Cohen’s experiences are recorded in her biography, Quantum House, and the Palm Beach Food Bank. They
“Hidden Heroes.” She has received the Humanitarian Award recently had a large group volunteering at the Food Bank,
Bob Bertisch, Vice Mayor Sarah Cohen, Judge Danielle from the Raoul Wallenberg Committee of Chicago, the where they sorted donated books for children. They also
Maria Marino Sherriff Medal of Honor from refuseniks, and a doctor of humane prepared hundreds of “backpacks” for public school
letters degree from Spertus College of Judaica. She lives in students to take home on weekends to provide nutritious
The Jewish Housewife Who Chicago with her husband, Leonard, who joined her for this food for themselves and their families. Tens of thousands
of local families depend on these donations and benefit
special Shabbos. They divide their time between family in
Tore Down the Iron Curtain the United States and their home in Jerusalem. from the amazing resources the food bank supplies. As the
prophet Jeremiah teaches, we are to engage deeply in our
Chabad of Palm Beach Gardens recently welcomed a Team Tikkun Olam Volunteers communities and to “seek the welfare of the city to which
special guest to the community for their Friday Night Live I have exiled you and pray to God on its behalf; for in its
series. Pamela Braun Cohen was described by Anatoly throughout Community prosperity you shall prosper.”
Sharansky as a Chicago housewife who sparked the
movement that led to the freedom of millions of Jews from The Temple Judea community continually offers a variety
the Soviet Union. Her story shows how ordinary people are of opportunities to give back to the wider community. JFS Expands Mental Health
able to affect global change. Congregants from all age groups have joined Team Tikkun First Aid Training to Palm
Haunted by the legacy of the Holocaust, Cohen became an Olam by taking part in volunteering events. Participants
activist in the Soviet Jewry movement in the early 1970s. She proudly wear matching Temple Judea t-shirts out in the Beach County Law Enforcement
served as co-chair of Chicago Action for Soviet Jewry from community to enthusiastically promote the values and to
1978 until 1986, when she became the national president of proudly connect with others. Alpert Jewish Family Service, a nonprofit serving
the Union of Councils for Soviet Jews. Her leadership role children, adults, seniors, and Holocaust survivors, is proud
took her to the halls of Congress and the White House and to announce the expansion of its Mental Health First Aid
on frequent trips to the Soviet Union. (MHFA) program to law enforcement agencies across
Palm Beach County. This initiative aims to equip police,
first responders, correctional officers, and other public
safety audiences with vital skills to identify, understand,
and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use
disorders within the community.
Alpert JFS, which first introduced MHFA in Palm Beach
County in 2014, has already trained various businesses and

Local Happenings on page 9

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