Menachem Lifshitz hosts Holiday Retreat

Menachem Lifshitz, a Long Island based philanthropist and avid golfer, invited 100 family members and guests to join him at the Hilton in Stamford Connecticut, for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot.  A rather unique and eclectic group from across the globe came to the lovely Connecticut resort to celebrate the holiday commemorating the giving and acceptance of the Torah by Moses and the Jewish people.  

Menachem Lifshitz and his wife Rochelle planned the elaborate event in honor of their daughter Ariella’s Bat Mitzvah.  According to Jewish faith a woman at the age of 12 accepts the commandments of the bible or Torah, thus the holiday of Shavuot presented a wonderfully appropriate opportunity to honor this tradition.

Gateways mission is to empower Jews of all ages to unlock the treasure of their heritage (gatewaysonline.com).  Dedicated to ensuring a vibrant Jewish future, their immersion learning approach enables Jews of all backgrounds to engage the richness of Jewish values and traditions while building and reinforcing their bond with the Jewish people and Israel they were privileged to partake in inspirational seminar lectures by a distinguished panel assembled by the Gateways organization.

Among the noted Rabbis and other dynamic speakers were  Rabbi Mordechai Becher, Rabbi Jonathan Rietti, Rabbi Zechariah Wallerstein, Mrs. Debbie Greenblatt, Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis , Rabbi Paysach Krohn and Rabbi Mordechai Suchard.

The Lifshitz group had a dedicated dining and prayer service area and delicious kosher gourmet cuisine was prepared and elegently served by NY based Schick catering service. An array of vintage kosher wine and scotch from Mel Lifshitz private collection cellar was brought to accompany the holiday meals.

Insightful thought provoking “divrei torah,” or words of wisdom, were presented by various invitees at each holiday meal. These included a particularly poignant address by Los angeles based cartoonist/author Chari Pere (charipere.com) and an engaging note by the honoree’s brother, young filmmaker JD Lifshitz.