Monday, January 20, 2025
The Chabad of Merrick-Bellmore-Wantagh recently held its fifth annual “Be a Match — Spark the Light” fundraising campaign, bringing in more than $420,000 to benefit community members in need.
“We live in a great community, the people are very generous and charitable,” Rabbi Shimon Kramer, the Chabad’s director, said.
Rabbi Kramer and his wife, Chanie, organized the fundraiser, which was held from Dec. 17-19, to cover the cost of the Chabad center’s operations for 2025. The fundraiser attracted almost 500 donors, who contributed to the three-day campaign.
“It’s not only the amount that was given, we’re also impressed by the amount of people who gave it in three days for charity,” Rabbi Kramer said. “It’s a great feeling to know that there are so many friends out there that value the importance of being here for others during this holiday season.”
The Chabad center is a nonprofit dedicated to helping community members through spiritual guidance, education and social services around the clock, from finding doctors and hospitals to connecting people with financial advisors.
The initial goal of the event was to raise $300,000 within the three-day period, but two families, Alan and Tatyana Forman, and Eliezer and Yetta Putter, matched each donation. Alan Forman is a Bellmore-based entrepreneur who founded Altronix, a global electronics manufacturing company.
“We’re very, very grateful that the community got together and everybody contributed in whatever they had,” he said. “We’re glad that it went the way it went.”
Forman said he was motivated to combat hunger in the local community and to support Chabad’s educational programs.
“His school is unparalleled,” he said. “The enrichment and the education and the socialization and the values that they’re taught definitely will pay everybody back — our society is going to thrive.”
Forman’s wife supported the center’s initiative to provide clothing for women undergoing cancer treatments.
By using a donor-matching system, each dollar contributed by a community member would be functionally tripled, supporting crucial programs and services that strengthen the Merrick, Bellmore and Wantagh communities.
“When you donate, you become the match that sparks the light,” Rabbi Kramer said in a news release.
“We found that crowdfunding is very powerful,” he added. “A donor likes to see that other people are giving according to whatever they’re able to give. They’re incentivized to match donations, and other people are encouraged to donate when they know that their donation is being maximized.”
Chabad’s educational program, which teaches about 100 preschool students, needs funding for several initiatives and projects in the upcoming year.
Rabbi Kramer said he would like to see a new playground built for infants, toddlers and young people in the center’s Alan and Tatyana Forman JELC Preschool and for participants in Camp Gan Israel, a program that offers safe spaces for young children to develop their physical and social skills, according to a news release provided by the center.
“Thanks to these campaigns, we built a beautiful facility,” Rabbi Kramer said. “We added many more classrooms because of tremendous growth.”
“We need a second playground that’s going to be catered to the younger children, infants and toddlers, and to triple the size of the food pantry,” the rabbi added.
The Chabad also serves the community through the Bernard Pechter Kosher Food Pantry, which distributes food to the hungry every Thursday.
In addition, the Chabad, partnering with the Cindy Knoll Circle of Hope Dress for Recovery, will provide a comfortable environment for those undergoing breast cancer treatments, as well as a new lounge for educators involved in the center’s many education programs.
For students, the center offers scholarships for the Alan and Tatyana Forman JELC Preschool, Ckids After School Program, Chabad Hebrew School, and Camp Gan Israel of Merrick — allowing more young people to receive an education in the Jewish way of life.
“To educate a child when they’re young has an impact on them for their entire future,” Chanie Kramer said.
“I can honestly say, from a financial point of view, this is the greatest investment one can make,” Rabbi Kramer said. “Their investment triples within three days. You’re investing in children, investing in people who need food, people who need special clothing, people who need it. There’s no loss.”
The Chabad accepts donations year-round — although further donations will not be matched, but will continue to support the center and its work in helping the community.
“Everybody should consider doing their part in helping those less fortunate,” Rabbi Kramer said.
For more information, visit ChabadJewishLife.org/match or call the center at (516) 833-3057 ext. 0. The Chabad is at 2174 Hewlett Ave., Merrick.
