Celebrating Asia in New York

Friends and community leaders met Wednesday night at the St. Regis Hotel in Manhattan to mark the celebration of 25 years since Chabad’s establishment in Asia, led by Rabbi Mordechai and Goldie Avtzon.

Then, Chabad was a small room in the Hilton Hotel with Minyanim and meals for Shabbos, today, there are 26 centers in 8 countries, serving local residents, tourists, businessmen and backpackers in countries throughout Asia.

Over exquisitely catered cocktails, friends reconnected with friends throughout the years. Later, sitting by tables decorated with Asian brocades and orchids, people listened as the MC Mitch Silk introduced Mr. Bentzion Fishoff who spoke about his experiences as a Jew in Asia, and how Chabad’s arrival has transformed the continent into one of Yiddishkeit. Following Mr. Fishoff, Rabbi Avraham Shemtov greeted the crowd on behalf of Agudas Chasidei Chabad, after which Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, Director of Merkos L’Inyonei Chinuch told the crowd of his involvement in establishing Chabad in Asia and how the Rebbe foresaw the need for Chabad to have a strong presence in the region.

Max (Mordechai) Azria, Founder, CEO, and Chairman of BCBG Max Azria Group, was awarded for his dedication in establishing new Jewish centers throughout Asia. With centers to his credit in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Shanghai, he spoke to the crowd what he feels is so important in the establishment of each Chabad House.

“A lot of Jews from around the world come to China to make their living, and they find themselves without a home. So we are building a house for them,” he said.

R’ Yitzchok and Julie Gniwisch of Montreal, Canada were awarded as Partners of Chabad for the past 25 years. They told the crowd of how they had been successful in Asia, and how Chabad creating a warm Jewish environment had helped them when building their diamond business.

With a surprise of their own, Julie turned to Goldie Avtzon, co-director of Chabad of Asia, and presented here with a gift on behalf of all the Shluchos of China who were unable to make it to the event.

Recipient of the Leadership Award, Mel Waxman of Cleveland, Ohio, inspired the crowd in his humorous way, reminding them of their responsibility to do what they could to help Chabad in its efforts to transform Asia.

The crowd grew solemn as the final award of the Living Legacy Memorial Tribute was presented by Rabbi Avtzon and Rabbi Shalom Ber Lipskar of Bal Harbour, Florida, to the family of Chlomo Kamhazi, one of the founding pioneers of Chabad of Asia.

His son Alberto Kamhazi, told the crowd, of how his father had discovered his religion at Chabad of Hong Kong, and how he used to call his father while in Asia, but his father wouldn’t be able to speak, because he was busy learning with the Rabbi.

“I didn’t mind because I saw that this made my father so happy,” he told the crowd.

The evening ended with a video titled “Faces of Chabad” where people spoke about their experiences as a Jew in Asia, and how Chabad has been there for them for anything from crisis relief, to intermarriage prevention, to a warm kosher meal.

This was followed by a tribute song composed by Yossi Green, legendary composer and long-time friend of Chabad of Asia, the crowd then broke into lively dancing, with Mel Waxman being lifted on a chair. Friends stayed to mingle long after, enjoying the opportunity to celebrate the transformation they have been a part of.