Bring a World-Class Performer To Your Event... DAVID SYME Frequent party goers are accus- tomed to finding place cards pledg- ing Yad Ezra dollar donations in their honor. They also find food- filled centerpieces that will be giv- en to Yad Ezra, the area's only kosher food bank. Canned goods in Noah's ark centerpieces high- lighted Julian Goodman's bar mitz- vah to go along with his Torah portion. Leslie and Paul Magy personal- ized a Yad Ezra gift eight days after the birth of their son Bennett, now 2. They hosted a Saturday lun- cheon at Adat Shalom Synagogue after their son's bris and decorated the tables with colorful bags brim- ming with baby food for after-Shab- bat delivery to Yad Ezra. "My husband, sister-in-law and I came up with the idea when we were thinking of something spe- cial we could do," Mrs. Magy said. "We wanted each package to be pretty for our guests and for the parents who would be receiving them. "We also put in diapers for prac- tical reasons and rattles for the ba- bies' amusement" Joanne Aronovitz turns to JARC (Jewish Association for Residential Care) to mark milestone birthdays of special relatives. "I've known families who have benefited from the JARC program so it seemed quite natural to give a gift to JARC when my grandfa- ther, Perry Breitberg, said he did not want anything personal for his 80th birthday," Mrs. Aronovitz said. After doing a lot of browsing, she found videos with Jewish stories for the residents to enjoy. When her aunt, Judy Coleman, was about to celebrate her 50th year, a JARC home received a set of beautiful candlesticks in the aunt's honor. Both women visit- ed the facility to make the presen- tation and to light the first Sabbath candles in the new holders. "The whole experience made us feel good about the living arrangements and being able to give something specific that * Start an ongoing fund that others can help support at a nonprofit agency. we could see put to use," Mrs. Aronovitz said. When Kiersten and David Schwartz planned their January wedding at Congregation Shaarey Zedek, they looked for a valet park- ing service that could accommo- date physically challenged guests. Along the way, they found a com- pany that would donate a per- centage of its profits to the synagogue sisterhood. "We also wanted others to en- joy the fresh flowers that decorat- ed the party, and we asked the rabbi for suggestions," Mrs. Schwartz said. "We decided on Menorah House, and our party planners delivered the bouquets the day after the wedding." At Temple Emanu-El, a rabbi's family celebration provided a role model for others. When Rafi Gidon Steinger had his bar mitzvah last September; cen- terpieces were planned for Yad Ezra. His mother, Linda Steinger, put her needlepoint skills to work and made a Torah cover for the temple, an idea later repeated by a cousin. Rabbi Lane Steinger let his office become a temporary holding area for toiletries his son collected for homeless shelters. "Our son asked a neighbor for toiletry donations, and the man knew of a warehouse that held dis- continued products," Mrs. Steinger said. "Arrangements were made for my son to get them and find the organizations that needed them. "My husband's office was filled with cartons holding combs, sham- poos, skin-care products and tooth- brushes until they were all distributed. For a short time, he had to find other rooms to meet with people. "We were glad we could cele- brate in so many ways that would * Invite someone who may otherwise be alone to enjoy a special event. be helpful to others." ❑ Giving Mitivot Here are some ideas for sharing special occasions: * Donate a percentage of money gifts to a favorite charity. * Make a fixed-amount donation for each guest to a favorite charity. (The Jew- ish National Fund offers invitations that notify each guest of the gift.) * Ask guests to make charitable contributions instead of buying presents. * Suggest party goers bring food, toiletries or items desipated for a specific organization. * Send floral or balloon decorations after your party to a hospital, nursing home or children's center. * Display attractive containers of food and then take them to an organization that feeds the needy. * Pass along duplicate gifts like dishes to a residential facility instead of re- turning them. * Use live plants as centerpieces and then give them to a residential center where people would enjoy caring for them. 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