WJC 47th Anniversary Gala, “Time to Shine,”
Held at Kol Ami

By Stephen E. Lipken

An estimated 427 citizens poured into Congregation Kol Ami, White Plains to celebrate the 47th anniversary of the Westchester Jewish Council Gala Invite, “Time to Shine” on Saturday, February 4th.

Honorees included Bruce and Pam Wexler, Steven Young, and Alan Weissman, Principal, Alfred Weissman Real Estate, LLC, overseeing development and asset management. 

Wexler is currently a member of WJC Executive Committee and Board of Directors, also Chair of Synagogue Presidents Plus 1 Roundtable.  Pam works as a volunteer attorney in the Domestic Violence Law Unit of the New York Legal Assistance Group. 

Young has served on the WJC Board including three years as an officer. Steve has chaired the WJC Night of Learning and chairs the Membership Committee.  He served as Beth El Synagogue Center President and continues to serve as Honorary President, member of the Human Resources Committee and Gabbai on Shabbat and holidays.  

A Flash Auction opened the Program, conducted by WJC Past President Ron Burton, along with a 50-50 Raffle.

Elected officials in attendance included Legislator Ben Boykin; County Clerk Tim Idoni; Westchester County Executive George Latimer; Mike Lawler, NY District 37; former Yonkers City Council President Chuck Lesnick; former U.S. Representative Nita Lowey; Legislator Damon Maher; Assemblywoman Amy Paulin; White Plains Mayor Thomas Roach and NYS Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins. 

Entertainment was provided by Broadway stars Jenn Gambatese (“Wicked,” “Mrs. Doubtfire”), Nathaniel Stampley (“Paradise Square”/ “Porgy and Bess”) with Music Director Jesse Warkentin (“An American in Paris”), who presented an evening of hit songs in “Sparkling Broadway.” 

Assistant WJC Executive Director Pam Goldstein noted that some of WJC’s activities include Night of Jewish Learning, participating in Westchester County Gather Against Hate, Jewish Music and Arts Festival, plus numerous trips to Israel.

Initially founded in 1975 as the Westchester Jewish Conference to organize the community’s response to the Yom Kippur War, the Council has subsequently evolved to become Westchester’s Jewish community relations organization.  Westchester County is the eighth largest Jewish county in the United States with nearly 150,000 Jews.