The Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston (JCCGB), a nonprofit organization committed to strengthening measures of Jewish identity, will host the 2009 Lights & Spice gala on Saturday, December 5, at 7:00pm at the Leventhal-Sidman JCC in Newton. The event will celebrate the JCC family through dramatic readings and entertainment by Elliot Norton Award-winning actress Annette Miller and Tony Award-nominated singer/songwriter Jeff Blumenkrantz.
Lights & Spice will honor Jeffrey Savit and A. Raymond Tye, and supports the mission-driven work of the JCC, which serves more than 50,000 children and adults in the Boston area each year.
Reflecting on the choice of Jeffrey Savit, Immediate Past Chair of the JCCGB Governing Board, as honoree, Chair Jonathan Samen said, “Jeffrey’s personal and professional choices reflect the values of caring and community to which we all aspire. His desire to truly make a difference in the lives of children and the elderly, and his strong Jewish identity, led him on a path of service—and the JCC has been one of the community’s greatest beneficiaries. We are delighted that he has accepted this honor.”
Under Savit’s leadership, the JCCs of Greater Boston extended its reach and now provides services to individuals and families via programs and services in a significantly wider geographic area. At the same time, the organization successfully consolidated and re-located programs; most notably following the transition of the Striar JCC in Stoughton to the Old Colony YMCA. According to JCCGB President/CEO Mark Sokoll, the JCC has since opened a new South Area office, and serves more families and adults than ever through that office, one in MetroWest, the Leventhal-Sidman JCC in Newton, six Early Learning Centers, and camps in Newton, Westwood/Dover, and Bridgton, Maine.
At the event, the JCC will also present the Norman B. Leventhal Community Service Award to A. Raymond Tye, former Chair of United Liquors Ltd. and Founder with his wife, Eileen, of The Ray Tye Medical Aid Foundation. The Award recognizes personal and philanthropic achievements that strengthen the Jewish community and the community at large. Said Sokoll, “Through his dedication to Jewish philanthropy and to health issues, Ray Tye has helped thousands and inspired countless others to act on their desire to heal the world. He honors us in receiving the award.”
The Sixth Annual Lights & Spice gala takes place on December 5, 2009 at 7:00pm at the Leventhal-Sidman JCC, 333 Nahanton Street, Newton. For more information or to purchase tickets or sponsorships, contact Joan Astor at 617-558-6519 or www.jccgb.org/
About the Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston
The Jewish Community Centers of Greater Boston (JCC Boston) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance the aspirations of families and individuals to enrich their lives, bodies and spirits, by providing the best in contemporary programs and experiences, informed by Jewish values for today's Jews and the people in their lives. The JCC offers a wide variety of services for families and individuals throughout Greater Boston, including health and wellness, cultural and performing arts, enrichment classes, and special needs for all ages. The JCC receives generous support from Combined Jewish Philanthropies, private foundations, and individuals who share its commitment to building a strong Jewish community in Greater Boston.
