Miami Beach Celebrates on Ice

This past Sunday, more than 450 members of the Miami Beach community enjoyed an amazing pre-Chanukah event at the Scott Rakow Youth Center & Ice Skating Rink.

The program was arranged by the Capt. Hyman P. Galbut Jewish Learning Center Chabad and was sponsored by Dr Steve Barton in Memory of his beloved mother.

What an afternoon of fun was had by all with all the kids having fun ice skating to Jewish music and then jumping on the fantastic bounce houses and the many other activities. The kids enjoyed a lunch of delicious pizza and then super delicious donuts.

The ice skating rink was buzzing with so much activity that the administration was so amazed at how well attended the event was and said that this was the biggest event they have had in the newly renovated youth center and were so taken back at how respectful the kids were, how patient people were and how involved they got with all that was going on.

The kids also enjoyed the arts and crafts tables and loved getting their faces painted too!

The day would not have been complete without the highlight of the day, the grand rally and kids raffle to top it off. With only 15 minutes left until the end of the program, the kids gathered and Rabbi Aron got the kids into the Chanukah spirit with the saying of the Torah Pesukim with tremendous life and on the top of their lungs too. With the sound of the pesukim filling the air, staff around the building came out to look and see what was going on and were amazed! It was then raffle time and 8 kids enjoyed winning and all the kids left with Chanukah balloons and smiles on their faces.

Many people said this was the best event they had come to in years. The kids were so involved and captured with the spirit of Chanukah and could not stop smiling all day. Everyone was so proud to have been part of the event and wanted to sign up to the next program. Well, with more than 50 pies of pizza gone, more than 200 donuts and a few hundred water bottles too, everyone left full, happy and excited that Chanukah was coming in just 2 days!

With the encouragement of Rabbi Aron, more than 100 people took homes menorahs to light or to pass out to their neighbors and friends.

The event was a great success thanks to the hard work of Rabbi Aron Rabin, Yossi Duchman and with great support from members of the community who volunteered and made things run so well – among them was Batya Bogomilsky, Renee Bortunk, Yitzchok Baron and others.

Special thanks was given to Dr Steve Barton who sponsored the event in honor of his Mother obm (Sosha bas Heshel A”H).