Chabad Lubavitch of Kensington hosted its 4th annual camp banquet on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at its Gan Israel Day Camp location on Ocean Parkway. Chabad Lubavitch of Kensington is a Brooklyn branch of international Chabad that unites over 5,000 Jewish families of New York’s Russian immigrant community. Rabbi Moshe Chaim and Doba Levin have opened their hearts and home to thousands of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, as well as American and Israeli Jews. The Gan Israel summer day camp is but one of Chabad of Kensington’s many programs and activities that assists thousands of Russian Jewish immigrants and their young families building new lives in New York.

The organization invited Councilmember Brad Lander to be the Guest of Honor at the Grand Banquet. Mr. Lander represents Kensington, Borough Park, and other Brooklyn neighborhoods in the City Counil.

The theme of Gan Israel Day Camp this year was education. Chabad Lubavitch of Kensington provides a wide array of Jewish educational and social programs. Rabbi Yehuda Levin, Assistant Director, in his introduction of Councilmember Lander, referred to the Lubavitser Rebbe’s correspondence with US Presidents regarding the importance of education. He also rephrased Former US President, Jimmy Carter’s quote that “education is one of the noblest enterprises a person or a society can undertake”. Rabbi Levin mentioned that Mr. Lander, in his capacity as councilman, has fought very hard for day care and after school programs against the heavy budget cuts. The councilmember works closely with parent leaders throughout the district, in both public and private schools (including yeshivas) in a wide range of efforts to help parents and educators improve their schools.

Councilmember Lander is a graduate with honors of the University of Chicago and of University College London, and of Pratt Institute, with a Masters in City Planning. Mr. Lander has been teaching graduate school classes in urban planning, affordable housing, and public policy at Pratt Institute since 1999.

Councilmember Brad Lander was honored to accept the invitation of being the guest of honor at the banquet. At the event, he presented the organization with an official New York City proclamation for its distinguished contributions and service to the community, both within the borough of Brooklyn and throughout New York City.

The Councilman talked with the children at the banquet, and asked them what they learned during summer camp. Referring to the answer of one of the children, that she learned the blessings to be recited upon thunder and lightning, the councilman expressed that we honor God’s presence when we say a blessing, and that we work to see and bless God’s presence is everything in the world around us.  Lander thanked Chabad of Kensington, the rabbis, teachers, parents, and kids for their work to learn and teach together, and he pledged the Council’s ongoing support for the education of our young people.

(YWN Desk – NYC)