Posted on 12/13/15
Baltimore, MD - Dec. 13, 2015 - Imagine a night of pure and holy brightness. A night filled with light and love. A night without darkness and despair. Imagine a night permeated with a joy that radiated and illuminated the hearts of everyone and anyone. Last Wednesday evening, Dec. 9, our community witnessed such a night, and the entire city of Baltimore saw it too
Chai Lifeline's "Light up the Night" party took the meaning of Chanukah to the next level. Literally! High above the city in the Observational Level of the World Trade Center overlooking the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, over two hundred Chai Lifeline family members joined together to celebrate the holiday of Chanukah. With a breathtaking three-hundred-and-sixty degree panoramic view of the city, Chai Lifeline's mantra of "Fighting Illness With Love" was on display for the entire city to see in all it's magnificent splendor
The evening began with beautifully articulated opening remarks from the Executive Vice-President of Chai Lifeline, Rabbi Simcha Scholar. The intrepid leader and founder of Chai Lifeline, Rabbi Scholar addressed an amalgamation of families from all over Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia who are facing life-threatening and life-long illnesses. Drawing parallels between the mission of Chai Lifeline and the message of Chanukah, Rabbi Scholar highlighted the idea that Chai Lifeline will always strive to be the light in the darkness of pediatric illness
As someone who battled a particularly aggressive form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma this past year, Governor Larry Hogan is the living embodiment of perseverance and fortitude. A benevolent man who can personally identify with the families of Chai Lifeline, Governor Hogan was the honored guest at their Chanukah party. Governor Hogan shared with the families of our community his heartfelt sentiments. “They inspire me. They’re really wonderful. They’re fighting tougher battles than I ever went through,” said Hogan
This night marked an incredibly momentous milestone for Jewish communities in our area. Under the continued guidance and support of local rabbinical figures and community lay-leaders, Chai Lifeline announced the imminent opening of the first formal Mid-Atlantic Regional Office. Committed to caring for the ever-growing needs of the Jewish communities situated in and around Baltimore, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Office will be better equipped to support the needs of over 130 families that are already being offered limited services. As Tzvi Haber, the director of Chai Lifeline's current operations in our community put it, “You can see from looking around this room, our families are already here. With the inauguration of a formal Chai Lifeline office in our community, now we can be here for them for years to come.
A volunteer for Chai Lifeline for over six years, Tzvi currently spearheads a Chai Lifeline presence in our community boasting over one hundred and twenty volunteers in varying capacities. Consisting of a talented and passionate fleet of volunteers from Talmudical Academy of Baltimore, Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community School, Yeshiva of Greater Washington, and Hebrew Academy of Silver Spring, it is truly astonishing and indeed inspiring to see the youth of our community unite to bring happiness and love into the homes of families who need it most.
Under the banner of Chai Lifeline, there are no boundaries. Rabbi Moshe Hauer of Congregation Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion articulated this idea so eloquently. "The worldwide Jewish community as a whole owes a tremendous sense of gratitude to Chai Lifeline. Who would have thought, twenty years ago, that the coolest thing a Jewish teenager in today's society could do was volunteer his or her summer to care for the sick children at Chai Lifeline's Camp Simcha."
With families hailing from Baltimore, Bethesda, Brookeville, Potomac, Rockville County, Washington, DC, and Silver Spring, the tangible feeling of community and solidarity between a wide-range of children with a plethora of different illnesses was incredibly special to behold. As the DJ began to play music and the crowd faced the windows overlooking the city of Baltimore, the symbolism was striking. Together on the holiday of Chanukah, as a family, Chai Lifeline continues to light up the night.
