Five Towns Chabad honors nine at gala dinner

Nine people were honored by the Chabad of the Five Towns at its 25th annual dinner in the Constellation Ballroom at the TWA Hotel at Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Jan. 12.

Avi and Karen Shapiro and Haim and Jackie Svartz were the Guests of Honor. Paula Friedman received the Pillar of Chessed Award, and Barry and Sandy Goldsmith and Moshe and Ahuva Rubel are the Dor L’Dor Award winners. The Goldsmiths and the Rubels are also the Gan Chamesh (nursery school) Family of the Year.

The Shapiros were among the first 10 members of Chabad of the Five Towns. Haim and Jackie Svartz moved to the U.S. in 1999. He was born in Russia and raised in Israel, and Jackie was born in Argentina and raised in Paraguay. 

A native Bostonian, Friedman is always there to help anyone she believes needs assistance. Rides to doctors’ appointments, meals, babysitting and errands are all part of her life. Her appointment calendar is filled with other people’s appointments.

The Rubels are native Five Towners. They have two children, Aaron and Rosie, a Gan Chamesh student. The Goldsmiths are Ahuva’s paternal grandparents and active supporters of the Chabad since the beginning.