Recently, Yahalom MD, a division of Agudah Maryland, held its Baltimore kickoff event at Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation. Hosted by a committee of parents and professionals, the event drew nearly 100 people and was a night of inspiration and connection, opening up a platform of communication with Yahalom MD and giving chizuk to parents with special children.
The program began with brief words of welcome from Mrs. Meira Burkom, Yahalom MD coordinator, followed by Rabbi Ariel Sadwin, Executive Director of Agudah Maryland, who introduced Yahalom by providing the backstory of how the new division came to be and the evolution of its arrival in Maryland.
Mr. Yehuda Gelman, the director of Highway of Hope, a leading patient advocate, and a sought-after consultant on rare diseases, came in from Lakewood, NJ to connect with the couples in attendance and to share info on the benefits a local Yahalom office can bring.
The keynote speaker of the evening was Rabbi Baruch Rabinowitz, noted educational consultant and inspirational speaker. Rabbi Rabinowitz stirred the audience with a strong message of chizuk and fortitude, and entertained his listeners with numerous touching stories. As a parent of a child with special needs and a talmid of Rav Moshe Shapiro, zt”l, Rabbi Rabinowitz has embraced the mission of sharing his experiences and being mechazek the parents of special children.
The event also offered an appetizing buffet and exciting raffles. Participants left with a thoughtful Chanukah gift courtesy of Yahalom MD, a children’s game courtesy of Yitzchok’s Toy Box, and connections that they never knew existed within the community. Hopefully, the renewed strength and inspiration that the parents acquired from the evening will serve as the “tip of the iceberg” of the future help Yahalom MD will facilitate to the members of the community.
To get a download link for Rabbi Rabinowitz’s keynote presentation or for more information about Yahalom MD, please send an email to yahalom@agudahmd.org.
To contact a Yahalom office:
YahalomMD: Mrs. Meira Burkom, 667-430-0901, mburkom@agudahmd.org
YahalomNJ: Mrs. Chana Laniado, 848.285.8444, claniado@agudah.org
YahalomNY: Miss Tova Wacholder, 212.747.8763, yahalomny@agudah.org
Yahalom Chicago: Mrs. Fiona Kark, 773.279.8400 ext. 266, fkark@agudahil.org
YahalomFL: Mrs. Tzippy Richmond, 305.532.2500 ext. 3, trichmond@agudah.org