I wish to immediately dispel the rumor that, if elected Vice President, Senator Joe Lieberman has promised to run a "Turn Friday Night into Shabbat" program in the White House. While the rumor is not true, we are certainly not giving up hope of the possibility. The nomination of Senator Lieberman (a long time friend and generous supporter of NJOP) is a watershed event in American Jewish life and has already impacted profoundly on the American Jewish community. NJOP wishes the Senator well and hopes to properly utilize the heightened interest in Jewish life that Senator Lieberman's nomination has generated.

By now, hopefully, you have all heard that NJOP has passed the great milestone of having enrolled its 500,000th participant in its North American programs. We believe that this achievement ushers in a new era. Having witnessed how responsive the North American Jewish community has been to our reach out efforts, we are firmly determined within the next five years to redouble our efforts and reach an additional 500,000 Jews and engage them in Jewish life by giving them positive, joyous Jewish experiences and exciting educational opportunities.

While reaching these historic numbers in our outreach programming is exciting and impressive, the real essence of our efforts is to move those who have already been reached to higher levels of commitment. To this end, over the course of the past six months, NJOP has moved to expand our horizons while remaining loyal to its original mandate. We are proud to announce the launching of two new projects that we expect will have great impact on the American Jewish condition.

At the behest of Sander Gerber, who was honored at the Sixth Annual Dinner with his wife Tracy, an NJOP board member, a meeting was held in Flatbush, Brooklyn, with several of the major Russian outreach leaders. NJOP was astonished to learn that there are 300,000 Russians Jews in New York City alone. Only a very small fraction of them send their children to Jewish schools or are involved in any aspect of Jewish communal life. The vast majority are prey to the missionaries who have spent many millions of dollars to attract them, offering their children free summer camps and providing free or low cost social services. NJOP has decided to focus on this vulnerable community and has hired Rabbi Mordechi Tokarsky, one of the leading outreach workers in the Russian Jewish community, to coordinate our efforts. We hope, within the next year, to have the Russian Jewish community buzzing with Hebrew Reading Crash Courses, Basic Judaism Crash Courses, Shabbat experiences, and Beginners Services. Of course, we will keep our members and supporters fully appraised of the developments on this front.

At the same time, the Mezuzah campaign, begun at the initiative of our recent Dinner honorees, Jamie and David Mitchell, is moving apace. NJOP has contracted with the world famous artist, Yaacov Agam, who has designed a most attractive Mezuzah which NJOP will distribute free of charge to 5,000 students who complete the Hebrew Reading Crash Course during the upcoming "Read Hebrew America/Canada" campaign in November 2000. This experimental effort will help NJOP determine what types of follow-up programs effectively raise Jewish consciousness among its program participants. After all, placing a Mezuzah on one's door is a profound act of Jewish identification. If this project proves successful, we hope to expand it to reach all North American Jews, and other Jewish ritual items may be included in future campaigns.

The bottom line is that NJOP continues to be creative and eager to face new challenges and promote new venues in its wholehearted commitment to reach every North American Jew, so that no man, woman, or child who wishes to be part of the Jewish community will be lost to the Jewish people.

When Sam Domb has a house-warming party, it's no simple affair. On June 18, 2000, Sam Domb welcomed family, friends and neighbors to his new home in Westhampton Beach. Unable to suppress his legendary propensity for generosity, Sam Domb decided that a house-warming party was the perfect opportunity to help the National Jewish Outreach Program. Sure enough, his indefatigable efforts raised more than $120,000 for NJOP's vital work.

Although the day looked rather rainy and dreary in the morning, Sam Domb brought out the sunshine for NJOP supporters. Situated directly on Moriches Bay, Mr. Domb's new home is a combination of elegance and warmth. In the spacious back patio and the expansive yard resting on the bay, children played and adults mingled, enjoying the light breeze from the water, the delicious buffet choices provided by Alex Klein caterers, and the music of the Amir and Ron Orchestra.

Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice President of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, opened the afternoon's program by pointing out that the Jewish people will receive the blessing of peace only when they are united. Those that work for Jewish unity, he said, singling out NJOP and Sam Domb, do so as an act of pure love for the Jewish people.

Rabbi Buchwald then greeted the crowd and expressed his gratitude to the entire event committee, with special acknowledgment to Ulo Barad and Jack Avital, honorary committee chairs, and Jack Kassin, the chair of the event. The Rabbi explained that the true reason for celebration was that the house that Sam built, was a house intended for chesed, for good deeds.

In honor of the occasion, Rabbi Buchwald presented Sam Domb with a specially designed plaque containing a letter of tribute recalling their very first meeting at a Shabbat dinner.

Angels of G-d are often referred to as Malachei Tz'va'ot - heavenly hosts in the army of G-d. You [Sam Domb] have been, for the National Jewish Outreach Program, both an angel and a warrior.

Sam, you have guided us with your sage advice, you have directed us with your infinite connections, and you have been a fierce advocate for us.

The event chair, Jack Kassin, an activist in the Syrian Jewish community, then introduced the Consul General of Israel to New York, Shmuel Sisso, and lauded his leadership skills and his efforts to help all Jews. Consul General Sisso, with brevity and charm, acknowledged Sam Domb's generosity and kindness, and praised his strength of will in their mutual causes: security for the State of Israel and Jewish continuity.

A hush fell over the crowd as Sam Domb took the microphone and began his passionate appeal for Jewish continuity. Mr. Domb told his guests that he supports NJOP because it is battling to revive the Jewish people in a land where Jewish spiritual needs have been neglected. His decision to hold this event was a decision to insure that there is "a choice for the future generations." He also explained that he decided to commission a Torah scroll and to build a synagogue on his estate to honor the memory of his late wife, Sara, and not, he noted, to compete with the existing synagogue in Westhampton, further stressing the necessity of Jewish unity.

After a short interlude of mingling and eating, Josh Schwartz, President of Manhattan's Congregation Ohav Sholom and a graduate of Rabbi Buchwald's Beginners Service, drew the crowd back together as he told the story of how NJOP affected his life. Growing up with almost no Jewish education, Josh began to look into his heritage while working as a lawyer in New York City. NJOP provided the tools to give meaning to Shabbat services and Judaism through the Hebrew Reading Crash Course and "Turn Friday Night Into Shabbat." Today, nearly a decade later, he is able to transmit Judaism to his children, thanks to NJOP.

NJOP programs have helped a half million Jews, like Josh, move closer to their heritage and to the Torah. The dedication of the Torah scroll was, therefore, a most fitting ceremony with which to conclude the afternoon.

Rabbi Yitzchak Adler, former Rabbi of the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates, which the Domb family had built, spoke about Sara Domb z"l, in whose memory the Torah was dedicated. Sara, the descendant of one of the most famous Yemenite dynasties, was a dedicated wife, mother, daughter and sister, and a driving force in uniting and inspiring her family. This Chanukat Habayit (dedication of the home), Rabbi Adler added, was an example of spirituality in the physical world. "The neshama (soul) of Sam Domb's house is the synagogue he built, the Torah he dedicated and the inspirational memories of his illustrious wife form the true pillar which supports this beautiful edifice."

After thanking Sam Domb for opening his home to support NJOP, Rabbi Mark Wildes, Director of the Manhattan Jewish Experience, compared the Domb home to the tent of Abraham which, according to the sages, was open on all four sides in order to welcome guests. Sam Domb, likewise, has opened his home to support NJOP which has, in turn, worked to open so many homes to beginners. As Rabbi Wildes gave a heartfelt "thank you" to Rabbi Buchwald, NJOP and Sam Domb, the doors opened and the new Torah scroll was brought forward.

With a chuppah overhead, Mr. Domb took the Torah in his arms and led the assemblage in a joyous procession to the lovely synagogue. Filled to overflowing, the prayer hall resounded with song and prayer as everyone celebrated the arrival of the Torah to its new home.

After Sam's son Ronie was honored with placing the Sefer Torah into the Aron (ark) for the first time, Rabbi Aaron Mehlman of New York's Congregation Ohav Sholom offered a brief Dvar Torah. Rabbi Mehlman compared Mr. Domb to the Jewish princes in the wilderness, who were visionaries, who saw what would be needed to enable the Tabernacle to be finished and the Jewish people to flourish. He likened Sam Domb to a modern day visionary acting against the threat of assimilation. Like a true prince, Rabbi Mehlman said, Sam Domb uses his personal strengths to do good wherever he can.

Before making their way back to the food and music, the participants watched Mr. Domb put the final touch on the little synagogue - a mezuzah, a gift from NJOP to express its heartfelt appreciation. The small parchment contained within the mezuzah casing is a constant reminder for all Jews to "love the L-rd your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your resources..." Sam Domb has done so and more, putting the Jewish people as his foremost priority and helping the National Jewish Outreach Program reach out to Jews everywhere.