CommunityC38 HAMODIA 11 AV 5774 AUGUST 7, 2014

Assemblyman Dov Hikind(D-Brooklyn) is partnering withthe Small BusinessAdministration (SBA) to offer avaluable forum that will allowcommunity members to identi-fy resources that can aid in theirbusiness growth.

The Small Business ResourceForum will present numerousopportunities that exist for localsmall business owners. It is a

valuable opportunity to net-work with SBA resource part-ners.

Lenders and successful busi-ness owners from the communi-ty will also be on hand to shareentrepreneurial best practices.

The event will take place onWednesday, August 13, from 6 to8 p.m., at the Boro Park Y, 491214th Avenue (corner of 50thStreet).

Hikind, SBA Present SmallBusiness Resource Forum toAid Community Businesses

BY NORA GUTEKANST

Shema Kolainu — Hear OurVoices hosted its 12th AnnualLegislative Breakfast celebrat-ing advocacy efforts that result-ed in the historic agreementannounced in City Hall byMayor de Blasio in conjunctionwith Speaker of the New YorkState Assembly, Sheldon Silver,regarding the placement of spe-cial-needs children in privateschools. The changes announcedwill be implemented bySeptember 1, and will expeditethe process for families seekingassistance and financial reim-bursement in placing their chil-dren with special needs inschooling. It will also reduce thelegal headache and paperworkassociated with the process ofplacing children in special pro-grams.

Speaker Silver was honoredfor his role in this monumentalachievement and commendedfor his commitment to all chil-dren and schools across the city,which are better off because ofhis leadership and advocacy.

Dr. Joshua Weinstein,founder and president of ShemaKolainu, emphasized “that thisyear, more than ever, the need tobring awareness and recognitionto the autism community is crit-ical, as statistics now show that 1in 68 children in the populationare autistic. As we recognize thehistoric agreement at City Hall,we also feel a huge debt of grati-tude to Mayor de Blasio, a long-time friend of our community,and his administration, repre-sented by Avi Fink, for embrac-ing the pain of parents andimplementing these changeslong sought by our advocates.”

Shema Kolainu welcomed adiverse group of participantsincluding community leaders,civic and religious leaders, elect-ed officials, and honored mem-bers of the city council and thestate Legislature who haveshown commitment and pas-sion for helping those in theautism community, especiallywhen it comes to giving accessto resources for children on thespectrum.

New York State SenatorSimcha Felder delivered thekeynote address, emphasizing“the need for every citizen to bean advocate and to speak outabout the needs of their com-munities.” Senator Felder’s pas-sionate speech on the Senatefloor that expressed the feelingsof the community regarding thespecial education bill greatlycontributed to the historicannouncement.

Honorees included AssemblyMember Helene Weinstein, whointroduced the special educa-tion bill, along with AssemblyMembers Steve Cymbrowitz,Phil Goldfeder, and Dov Hikind.Comptroller Scott Stringerreceived the AppreciationAward and spoke admiringlyabout his visit to Shema

Kolainu.Shema Kolainu Board Chair

Peter Rebenwurzel introducedNew York City CouncilmemberBrad Lander. Mr. Lander, whosecured a million dollars torestore Brizzi Playground,located across the street fromShema Kolainu — and used dailyby the children from the entirecommunity — was presentedwith the “Children AppreciateAward.”

Bronx Borough PresidentRuben Diaz Jr. presented LarrySeiler and Michael Max Knobbeof BronxNet Community media,the local access channel for theBronx, for their commitment tothe special-needs population.Assemblyman Dov Hikind gavea rousing speech which resultedin a standing ovation for Mrs.Leah Steinberg, director ofProject LEARN — SpecialEducation Affairs-AgudathIsrael of America.

Jeff Leb, New York Statedirector of Political Affairs forthe Orthodox Union, waspraised by New York CityCouncil Member Mark Levineas a “mentch” and for his advoca-cy efforts on behalf of special-needs children.

Special recognition was givento Council Speaker MelissaMark-Viverito, represented byJennie Berger, for funding atotal of $690,000 for the city-wide Autism Initiative that willbenefit numerous programs, aneffort championed by

Councilman Mark Weprin whosponsored the autism initiativeand NYS AssemblymemberDavid Weprin who pioneeredthe program. Honorees includ-ed Assembly Member HeleneWeinstein, who introduced thespecial education bill, withAssembly Members SteveCymbrowitz, Phil Goldfeder,and Dov Hikind; ComptrollerScott Stringer received theAppreciation Award and spokeadmiringly about his visit toShema Kolainu.

As always, the breakfast wasmasterfully emceed byMenachem Lubinsky, CEO ofLubicom Marketing Consulting,and Kalman Yeger, a top adviserto various elected officials inNew York City; it was coordinat-ed by The Friedlander Group.

“I thank the honorees anddistinguished guests in the leg-islature who push for fundingand resources for the autismcommunity, and for the need tocontinue advocating on behalf ofthose children, who need thesupport of therapists, teachers,parents, and community mem-bers alike. All children, on thespectrum or not, deserve accessto an education that meets theirneeds. Your unwavering supportregarding issues important tothe autism community and yourrecognition of the work thatShema Kolainu does inspires usand allows us to fulfill our com-mitment to our children,” con-cluded Dr. Weinstein.

Shema Kolainu Legislative BreakfastHears the Voices

L-R: Peter Rebenwurzel, chairman of the board of Shema Kolainu; Dr. JoshuaWeinstein, founder and president of Shema Kolainu; NYC CouncilmemberBrad Lander (speaking); Menachem Lubinsky, Lubicom Marketing, MC of thebreakfast; and Milton Weinstock, board member of Shema Kolainu.

L-R: Ezra Friedlander, CEO of The Friedlander Group; Peter Rebenwurzel, chair-man of the board of Shema Kolainu; Dr. Joshua Weinstein, founder and presi-dent of Shema Kolainu; NYS Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver; MenachemLubinsky, Lubicom Marketing; and Milton Weinstock, board member ofShema Kolainu.

BY MANOR PERETS

Harav Yechiel Abuchatzeirawill daven for you at the restingplace of the Holy TannahHarav Yonason ben Uziel onthe Fifteenth of Av.

For those who haven’t yetmerited to find their zivug(match), Amuka isn’t just aplace, it’s an extraordinaryopportunity to have theirprayers answered, especiallyon the auspicious day of TuB’Av.

“There were no better daysfor the Jewish people than the15th of Av…,” says the Talmud.On this day the young womenof Jerusalem would go outdressed in white finery anddance in the vineyards, in acourtship ritual that led tomarriage.

This year Harav YechielAbuchatzeira, scion of a familyof renowned Kabbalists, willonce again be going to Amukaon the 15th of Av — August 11 —on behalf of Yad L’Achim, tolead a mass tefillah. The Rav,Chief Rabbi of Ramle, will readfrom a list of names given toYad L’Achim and daven foreach petitioner by name.

Many of those who partici-pated in last year’s event havereported seeing positiveresults.

The event, which is shroud-ed in an aura of holiness andreverence, begins withMinchah, as it says, “Eliyahuwas answered only atMinchah.” Afterwards, HaravAbuchatzeira will lead thecrowd in the recitation ofSeder Hatikkun.

The Rav will then take out a150-year-old shofar, an inheri-tance from his grandfather theAdmor Rabi MassoudAbuchatzeira, who received itfrom his father, the AbirYaakov. Rabi Massoud was thefather of the Baba Sali and ofthe Rav’s father, the BabaChaki. Before blowing it theRav will ask the assembled tohave kavanah that the prayersthey offer on behalf of men

and women in need of a shid-duch will be answered quickly.

The Admor will ascend tothe roof of the holy tziyun andcircle it seven times, holdinglists of those who have donat-ed to the mitzvah of PidyonShvuyim. He will recite rele-vant chapters of Tehillim andagain blow the shofar, fol-lowed by the recitation of themoving Ana BeKo’ach prayer.

Harav Abuchatzeira willthen enter the tziyun and,after spending long minuteslighting candles, will beginreading the names of those inneed of shidduchim, carefullyenunciating each one in aheartfelt plea.

At the conclusion of thetefillah Harav Abuchatzeiradavens: “Let it be His Will thatour tefillot are accepted by theHoly Throne, and the donorswhose names we read now willmerit mercy and salvation andto quickly establish a bayitne’eman beYisrael, among allof Klal Yisrael in need of ayeshuah.”

The tomb of Rabi Yonasonben Uziel has special meaningfor this cause. The greatTanna, who studied underHillel the Elder and wroteTargum Yonason, is believed tohave remained married; heunderstands the pain of thosewho are still single and theimportance of pleading ontheir behalf.

The Gemara says he was soholy that if “a bird flew overhis head when he was learning,it would be burnt up.”

A donation to this uniqueproject does more than givethe child, sibling or friend inneed of a shidduch an opportu-nity to benefit from a provensegulah. It is the fulfillment ofthe mitzvah of PidyonShvuyim, of which theRambam states, “There is nogreater mitzvah than the mitz-vah of Pidyon Shvuyim.”

Hurry! To participate, callYad L’Achim at 1-866-923-5224 or submit names onlineat www.yadlachim.org.

This Monday, Tu B’Av In Amuka – A SpecialSegulah for Shidduchim