With enormous joy, we honored 25 Power Listers of Palm Beach who have contributed to the community and built beautiful, powerful careers.
My daughter, Elizabeth, and Brie came from New York with talented DJ Mike from Bravo Sound to seamlessly organize the sold out event that had almost 200 joyous people jampacked into the ballroom at The Colony Hotel.
My heart filled with happiness when each of the honorees walked the red carpet to curated music to receive their “Vicki” statuette at the podium, while their photos were on the big screens — it was our version of the Oscars!
Each honoree was accomplished in their field and had an opportunity to meet people at what I call the “Ultimate Networking Event.” It was a night for the memory books
Fortunately for me, Elizabeth stayed over and she and I had special mother-daughter time. We did what we both love. We had a facial done at True Skin By Tanya, a holistic esthetician offering advanced skin care treatments in West Palm Beach; it was so soothing and refreshing, laying on a plush, heated table receiving her expert skin care.
From there, we went over to the Eau Hotel to get a massage in their spa. It was just what the doctor ordered after five hours of greeting people and mingling the night before!
The spa is a sanctuary with a quiet space and offers a sauna, steam, hot tub and more. We were both reenergized!
On Saturday, I went to services at the Palm Beach Synagogue, where I was moved by Rabbi Moshe Scheiner’s sermon.
We had honored him earlier in the week at our Palm Beach Power List event for creating an extraordinary community offering seminars, cooking challah classes, hosting book clubs and youth activities and so much more, making the synagogue a community center in addition to a place to pray, just like Rabbi Marc Schneier does at The Hampton Synagogue.
This week, Rabbi Scheiner shared the news of a Gallup poll that reported a nationwide decrease of support for Israel and an increase in antisemitism. Shockingly, these statistics come after the horrendous Oct. 7 attacks on innocent people.
It’s hard to believe that any caring person would not have sympathy for those innocent victims. But Rabbi Scheiner compared it to when Hitler was slaughtering Jews held in prison camps and the world stood by. There are even people today who spread the lie that the Holocaust never happened. A professor had to testify and bring graphic proof to dissuade people from those lies.
It’s clear now that there are those who want Israel destroyed and thanks to President Trump’s clear message that terrorists — and that’s who Hamas is — will not be allowed to spew hatred unpunished.
The president said he will take action against the institutions that don’t stop antisemitism. I applaud his taking $400 million away from Columbia University and pulling the visas for students who commit hate crimes by supporting terrorists.
A week prior, Professor Alan Dershowitz spoke at an Antisemitism Seminar and said free speech doesn’t include spreading hate and supporting terrorists — it’s a crime.
Sadly, it has been shown by the numbers seen in the Gallup poll that no words or facts can change peoples’ minds.
I learned that many decades ago when my organization, Life’s WORC, was opening the first group home for children coming out of Willowbrook.
Thanks to Geraldo Rivera’s fundraising efforts from a concert with John Lennon and Yoko Ono at Madison Square Garden, we were able to purchase a home in Little Neck, Queens, for those children. But when the neighbors heard about the purchase, they sued us to stop it and they even had people calling me with death threats; I had to take my SCHNEPS license plates off my car!
I spent months visiting people’s homes in small groups to explain that the children who would be living in the house on Gaskell Road were coming from Willowbrook, a disgraced snakepit, but now would be living lives of dignity.
I learned a powerful lesson: you can’t change people’s minds!
Not one person who opposed our home on their block changed their mind, but those who supported it stood up to those in opposition and welcomed us after we won our zoning right case to be there and open the home.
I see this today. There are no facts that Palestinian Hamas supporters can hear to stop their hate. When I saw them celebrating around the coffins of the two innocent children taken hostage and then murdered, I knew their hatred was boundless.
They want Israel destroyed. There is no negotiation for them.
I remember the power of these words: “Action speaks louder than words.”
Hopefully President Trump can expeditiously bring home the hostages!
For the second week, the rabbi made me cry as I heard his powerful message.
My week also included acts of kindness as Iris Dankner again sponsored the Palm Beach Tabletop designer showcase raising money for those suffering from breast cancer.
I never lose hope when, despite the cruelty that exists in our world, there are people who tirelessly help others.
We have beautiful people among us!
Love to you, my dear readers.
