The JDCC 5th Anniversary Banquet held at Beth Jacob Congregation on Sunday morning, June 8th was a very intimate affair. Over eighty people participated in a lovely program aptly coordinated by JDCC president Sharon Ann Soudakoff and carried out expertly by Master of Ceremonies Jeff Dichter. It was such a smashing success that JDCC is still receiving congratulatory messages!
People entered the reception to find tables facing a stage which represented a living room set. Little did people know as they sat down to brunch that they would become part of “A Kosher Affair” performance.
Jeff Dichter set the tone as he shared the story of a 7 year old girl who rode her bicycle up the freeway to Sacramento. We all wondered what he was talking about until we realized he was using humor in reciting JDCC founder Sharon Soudakoff’s efforts to launch JDCC as a non-profit corporation. He summarized the history of JDCC in such a factual and comical manner that he was greeted with laughter and applause.
A Candle Lighting ceremony followed in which certain people from the audience were asked to light five separate candles, each representing one JDCC Year. Soon he had us waving napkins as we all gave a toast to the organization and attacked a sumptuous Champagne brunch.
With deliciously-filled stomachs, we turned to a colorful performance of ‘A Kosher Affair’ presented by both Deaf and Hearing performers. This parody soap opera had us engrossed in a show of tangles and twists as we tried to follow who was doing what about which. And what fit in very nicely was that the performance was divided in three Acts.
Between each Act was presentations of awards, plaques and messages. After Act I, results of the Art and Essay Contests were announced: Gregory Pollock, 8, of Pittsburgh, PA with his ‘Torah’ drawing, and Johanna Goul, 12, of Los Angeles, CA for her ‘Chanukah’ drawing were the winners of the JDCC Art Contests. In the JDCC Essay Contest, Liz Kurs, 15, of Riverside, CA won for her terrific story ‘My Visions of JDCC’s Future’. (See page 8).
Four hearing people were then awarded with the ‘Friends of JDCC’ Recognition Awards for their support to JDCC over the years: Edmond Guenoun of Elegant Catering Services (catering), Norman & Barbara Small of Small Stationery & Office Supplies, Inc. (printing), and Rabbi Abner Weiss with Beth Jacob Congregation (facilities).
Suddenly Jeff Lubman walked onto the stage with a FedEx envelope addressed to David Rosenbaum at Beth Jacob. With a puzzled look, David joined Jeff on the stage to open the FedEx envelope and take out a piece of paper. “This appears to be a list of questions,” David said to Jeff. Reading the questions, he asked Jeff: “Are you familiar with JDCC’s history from the beginning?” Jeff says “Yes”.
Questions ranged from: “Who coordinated the JDCC Banquet?” to “Who chose the Three Wise Men for High Holiday Services”, “Who started JDCC News”, etc. Jeff kept answering that it was the same person — Sharon, the 7 year old girl with pony tails and freckles with glasses… yes, Sharon, the little aggressive lady, Sharon… He then introduced four different people who came on the stage to share their enthusiasm for JDCC’s activities and Sharon’s “unduly dedication to JDCC”.
Steve Merkin thanked Sharon for giving the Los Angeles Jewish Deaf people different choices just like Hearing Jews. Alla Khodos admitted she knew very little about Judaism when she moved here from Russia and met Sharon… and said Sharon is very fast in following up on everything “she never delays… she just does it!”
Eric Brody applauded Sharon for “bringing all Deaf Jews together and welcomes them all and now I have many Jewish deaf friends – I’m happy, thank you!” Ruth Morris, who moved from London, England, shared her experience of always attending hearing services and having difficult time after marrying husband Percy in participating in services. When she first learned about JDCC, she was so thrilled… “Now Percy goes to all JDCC’s services — wonderful to have Sharon,” she affirmed, “without her, JDCC wouldn’t be here today!” Jeff and David then presented Sharon with the Recognition of Founder plaque.
Sharon’s husband, David then gave a few words and presented Sharon with a bouquet of roses. Says Hetty Rothenberg, who attended the JDCC Banquet, “He cannot be more prouder of his wife more than anyone!”
Following Act II was full of surprises: Sharon Soudakoff shared the efforts of an individual who made a major contribution to broaden the level of Judaism knowledge and education in the Jewish Deaf Community and surprised JDCC Board Member Jeff Lubman with the ‘JDCC Community Service Award’.
She also startled David Rosenbaum who was operating a video camera as she presented the JDCC Achievement Award “in recognition of a person whose outstanding contribution in the Jewish Deaf community has made an impact.”
Then Act III of A Kosher Affair moved along as we followed the story of a wealthy Jewish family. The Deaf son doesn’t want to take over his Hearing father’s business because he has other interests. The Deaf daughter is a spoiled brat, and the father has a Secretary who had been suspicious that monthly payments she was handling for him for over 20 years may have been child support payments.
The Secretary was shocked when she learns that the Deaf daughter had been dating his out-of-wedlock son and later they become engaged. The Father’s second wife wants to take over his business. The Deaf son meets with a Rabbi to get advice on how to break the news to his Father that he has no interest in taking over the business and the Rabbi, who specializes in Sex & Marriage classes, misunderstands the Deaf son thinking he has a sexual problem.
Hetty Rothenberg commends Sharon for her “sensitivity and dedication. I cannot neglect to include her family members, friends, Jewish Deaf and the Deaf Community also for their staunch support. To sum it up, Sharon’s INCREDIBLE, REMARKABLE, AWESOME, SENSATIONAL, EXTRAORDINARY, PHENOMENAL…”
“People commented and complemented this unique event with words such as: beautiful, good food, enjoyable, wonderful seeing old friends, lots of fun, such unity, spiritual, would come again, very happy to be here, very impressed, and very proud of Sharon and the organization,” Hetty added, “Lastly but not the least, Jeff Dichter did an outstanding job of performing as Master of Ceremonies along with fabulous interpreters Dave Sladek and Connie Schultz and the JDCC Banquet masterminded by committee members Sharon Soudakoff, Eric and Jana Brody, Jeff and Shula Dichter, David and Pauline Dror, Andrea Kurs and David Rosenbaum.”
The JDCC Banquet festivities had a great family feeling to it. It was brought to a satisfying conclusion with a JDCC Cake Ceremony, announcement of Raffle Drawing winners and everybody went home with imprinted JDCC logo mugs and complimentary bagel coupons courtesy of the Bagel Factory. There was also a terrific JDCC Banquet Program Book with 32 pages of chock-full information on JDCC history and activities with photos and congratulatory messages from many people and organizations including messages from other Jewish Deaf organizations across the country including the Jewish Community Center Association of the Deaf in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Temple Beth Or of the Deaf in East Elmhurst, NY, Congregation Bene Shalom/Hebrew Association of the Deaf and Hebrew Seminary of the Deaf in Illinois and Brooklyn Hebrew Society of the Deaf and Sisterhood in New York and Manhattan’s Young Adult Jewish Deaf in NY, and Hebrew Association of the Deaf and Sisterhood of New York. What a most memorable event for everybody who attended. THANK YOU, SHARON ANN SOUDAKOFF for your AMAZING efforts as always!!!
Fifth Anniversary Banquet Committee.
‘A Kosher Affair’ Cast.
