90 | CHAGIGAH MAGAZINE

On Thursday February 19th, 2009, Young Afi kim NY held a unique benefi t concert showcasing

four of New York’s most exciting young musical talents. Young Afi kim has fl owered into something beautiful – Extending itself from the committee in London to a new committee in New York. Young Afi kim benefi ts from a new executive committee of rising stars from the worlds of entertainment, arts, design and fi nance that assists in putting together a spectacular event to mark the launch of Young Afi kim New York. Greenhouse, the world’s fi rst eco-friendly nightclub set the stage for what promised to be a night of great music and community activism against child poverty and hunger.Partnering with such a groundbreaking venue for what they hoped would be the fi rst of many benefi t concerts ensured that the concert was an intimate but well-attended event, focused solely on the music - no politics. Greenhouse has just opened on Varick Street in Tribeca, after having been highly anticipated for many months as the world’s fi rst club with a LEED certifi cation. The club has been featured in the New York Times, The Village Voice, The New York Post, The New York Observer, Gotham Magazine & US Weekly amongst many other publications. The exciting line up consisted of Nancy Danino, The Hotcakes, The Bones Royal and Ezra Furman and the Harpoons. Over 300 people packed the venue to mark the launching of Young Afi kim NY. Young Jews came from all over NY to be at this event. The crowd was a downtown chic looking bunch. An Aerosmith Steven Tyler autographed guitar was the big raffl e prize of the night! The NY committee would like to do more atypical types of events – rather than the regular charity events – where interesting forms of entertainment will be provided. No event is too big or small for Afi kim as long as it’s got character. Word on the street is that they will soon have a karaoke night at the downtown NYC

Benefit Concert of Young Afikim NY

CHAGIGAH MAGAZINE | 91

Soho house. Young Afi kim New York is a volunteer-based organization and is fortunate enough that its event was almost entirely underwritten by sponsors, ensuring that all proceeds will go directly to the after-school center in the town of Kiryat Malachi, which is kept afl oat solely by the funds raised by the Young Afi kim committees of both London and New York.Young Afikim is a non-profit, non-discriminatory, apolitical organization, which helps children in Israel by providing for their immediate needs of food and basic supplies whilst integrating them into long-term educational programs. Government statistics have revealed that a shocking 22% of Israel’s citizens are currently living under the poverty line, with close to one million of them being children. The present reality makes it difficult for the government welfare system to provide a solution. Afikim is a network of afternoon centers across Israel that offers new hope and possibilities for disadvantaged, troubled families. For more information on our project please visit our

website at www.youngafikim.org.Committee members: Gaby Hersham, Ilana Lee, Roxanne Cohen, Yaniv Cohen, Karen Tambor, Deborah Lyons, Shlomo Nasser, Diane Shaalo, Raph Bejarano, Alex Bird, Talli Gerut, Roxy Yagoubzadeh and Jeffrey Schwartz.

Photography by Life Capture ImagesPhotography by Life Capture Images