Some 200 hundred enthusiastic participants arrived in Israel from the USA for the 50th Anniversary of the Reunification of Jerusalem Mission organized by JNF USA. The mission was divided into four tracks: the Presidents Society Mission, The Spirit of Israel Track, The Positively Israel Interfaith Track, and the Young Leadership Track. In a moving ceremony on May 23, The Spirit of Israel track inaugurated a new music room at the bomb-proof indoor playground in Sderot, in the name of the late C. Hugh Friedman. The music room was donated by the friends of Congresswoman Lynn Schenk of San Diego and by Incoming JNF USA President Dr. Sol Lizerbram and his wife Lauren Lizerbram, JNF San Diego President.
After spending a day with the pioneering Halutza communities in the Western Negev, The Spirit of Israel track of the JNF USA 50th Anniversary of the Reunification of Jerusalem Mission made its way to Sderot. The occasion: to dedicate a newly established music room in the town’s state-of-the-art bomb-proof children’s indoor playground. The entire facility including the new music room was sponsored by JNF USA.
The music room was made possible thanks to the support of the friends of Congresswoman Lynn Schenk of San Diego, and of Dr. Sol Lizerbram, Incoming JNF USA President and of Lauren Lizerbram, JNF San Diego President.
JNF Director of Tourism Shahar Hermelin welcomed the visitors. He said that he has been to the facility so many times over the last few years that he doubts that any local child has been there so often.
“I have seen what a change this amazing place has made to the lives of everyone in this city. Now we are going to make an even bigger difference by the launching of the new music room in the name of the late C. Hugh Friedman.”
C. Hugh Friedman, who passed away at the age of 81, was a lawyer, a musician and a Jewish philanthropist. He was also the longest serving professor in the history of the University Of San Diego School Of Law. A plaque unveiled in the new music room reads “In Loving Memory of C. Hugh Friedman, a loved and admired gentleman, respected author, inspirational professor, renowned lawyer and legal scholar and a really cool musician!”
Russell Robinson told the audience of the experiences a child living in Sderot goes through in times of aggression from the Gaza Strip. He then paused for 15 seconds before continuing:
“That’s how long a child has to find cover once he hears the incoming missile siren.
It’s not long.... After the opening of this center, children were not traumatized by the sound of missile sirens anymore. Now they will also have music in the facility.”
Dr. Sol Lizerbram, who is leading of the Spirit of Israel track, and is the incoming President of JNF USA, paid tribute to the late C. Hugh Friedman.
“Although he had many sides to his personality and many skills, music was his passion, and he loved children, and he loved Israel. In order to perpetuate his memory we decided that the right answer would be to build a music room in this facility. With the help of many of the people who are present here, we were able to replace the sound of rockets, with the sound of music.”
Dr. Lizerbram expressed his joy on being in Israel so soon after it was announced on May 11th that he would be President of JNF USA for the next two years. Lizerbram’s wife Lauren is currently President of the JNF San Diego Chapter.
“We have been involved in JNF for over 35 years. Now together we plan to take the organization forward and increase JNF USA’s support of Israel. JNF USA is in the midst of a 1 billion dollar campaign for Israel. We have already raised $450 million. I hope that during my watch we will reach our goal.”
JNF USA National Campaign Director for the West Coast Sharon Freedman thanked one and all, near and far, for attending the event. She awarded a citation of honor to Congresswoman Lynn Schenk, the wife of the late C. Hugh Friedman, “for her commitment to Israel by redeeming and rebuilding the land, and for bringing music to those who need it most.”
Congresswoman Lynn Schenk said that the person most missing at the event was her late husband Hugh.
“Hugh was involved in education, and the fact that this new facility is both educational and protective, is something he would have just loved. He would have loved to be here!”
Hugh and Lynn’s daughter Marcia Peniche read out loud a moving tribute to her father:
“He had a life-long love of the clarinet
with it's sharp, flat and soulful notes
The passion that he had for music
could be felt and seen.
His spirit will never be gone
As long as the music is playing.”
One of Hugh’s clarinets was on display in a glass case in the music room. The display was unveiled by Lynn Schenk and Lauren Lizerbram in the presence of members of the Friedman family, Sol Lizerbram and Russell Robinson.
The dedication ceremony ended with a musical performance by three young musicians, who first picked up their instruments three months ago the moment the music room was completed.