Five Towns Chabad honors the Friedmans

Lifelong Five Towns resident David Friedman, the former ambassador to Israel under President Trump, along with wife, Tammy, will be honored by the Chabad of the Five Towns as “Ambassadors of Light,” at the religious organization’s 27th annual gala dinner on Feb. 15.

While the Friedmans have a deep history of Jewish involvement in the Five Towns, David’s father was Morris Friedman, an iconic figure in the Jewish community, who was one of the founders of the modern Orthodox movement and was the spiritual leader at Temple Hillel in North Woodmere. Once full-time Woodsburgh residents, the Friedmans now split time between Florida and Jerusalem, and visit the Five Towns frequently.

The Friedmans and Rabbi Zalman Wolowik, the leader of the Five Towns Chabad, have been longtime friends. More than 25 years ago, David was suffering from what was described as incurable back pain. Tammy called the newly opened Chabad center to ask for the family’s mezuzahs to be checked.

Wolowik came and checked the tefillin as well and he found serious blemishes in the tefillin scroll. Miraculously, the next day, after using new tefillin, David’s pain stopped, the relationship with Wolowik continued.

David and Tammy Friedman are what Wolowik said, “true embodiments of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s concept of lamplighters. The rebbe encouraged everyone to spread light, because when one torch lights another, the first light does not diminish — both lights grow.” The Friedman family has been connected with Chabad through the Gan Chamesh Preschool, Bat Mitzvah club and other youth activities.

While serving as the envoy to Israel, David’s no-nonsense style helped broker the recognition of Jerusalem as capital of Israel and subsequent move of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and the Abraham Accords. Wolowik delivered the opening prayer at the opening of the embassy.

“We are all partners in rebuilding the Jewish nation,” David said at the Shluchim Convention in January. “We are partners in making any place we reside a more moral place. We are partners in bringing light and truth to places that are dark and without hope. That partnership bears fruit each day and is the reason why, like the former British Empire, the sun never sets on the Chabad community.”

Chabad serves all ages from seniors to preschoolers and through its Friendship Circle ,which pairs teenagers with children with special needs for learning, fun and companionship. At the dinner, Chabad will honor 20 Friendship Circle presidents and 10 CTeen leaders.

Yosef Yitzchak and Penina Batsheva Popack; Gidon and Alla Shema; Gary and Suzanne Wallin; Jeff and Shira Eisenberg; Israel and Sharon Garber; Sholom and Pessy Jacobs; and Shalom and Iris Maidenbaum, are the dinners chairpersons.

The gala takes place at the Sephardic Temple, 775 Branch Blvd., Cedarhurst. Purim Katan 5782 at 6 p.m. VIP reception at 7 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom. Tickets are $770 per couple. VIP Reception: minimum donation of $10,000 to receive a personalized signed copy of “Sledgehammer,” the new book written by David.

Raffle tickets are available for as little as $36 each. Options include an Orlando Getaway, Enhance Your Table, Beautiful Megillah, $1,000 Visa Gift Card, or $1,000 to Gourmet Glatt.
To RSVP for the dinner, or purchase a journal ad or raffle tickets, go to https://fivetownsgala.com.