The Lights Burned Bright for Chanukah this Year
Forty lucky students from the Hebrew Academy Community School in Margate were treated to a $75 Chanukah shopping spree right before the holiday began. Kids got to roll through the aisles with Margate police officers, donors and elected officials as they made selections. The annual event is driven by the generosity and benevolence of locals, who together raised $16,000 to help fund this year’s shopping spree for the 3rd Annual “Chanukah with a Cop” outing. The week prior, Margate police with the help of local non-profits and Walmart hosted a similar event called "Cops and Kids." Fifth graders Miriam and Mushkie were excited to go shopping as they waited to board the bus and head to the Margate Walmart. They talked about how they made a 3-D dreidel menorah last year and how much fun it was. Hadar planned to buy something for her family. Her father is in a band that plays at holiday events. Hadar looked forward to a car parade in Hollywood when lots of vehicles topped with lit menorahs take to the streets. Eighth-grade girls Mushka, Simcha, Shirel and Rivka, have a history of being meticulous shoppers. This year's "Chanukah with a Cop" was no different; they were one of the last groups through the checkout lines with their purchases which included clothes, jewelry, and fashionable watches. Seventh graders Miriam, Orit, Chana got to shop with Vice Mayor, Arlene Schwartz, who was a first timer at the event. They were practicing math skills as they had to keep to a budget.
An adult volunteer at the Academy, Mindel shopped with 4th graders Channa - her daughter, and Chayale. Adult coloring books and emoji pillows were popular with the elementary school set. Mindel’s family moved from New York last year. "Police are nicer here in Florida than they were in Brooklyn,” she told MargateNews.net. Commissioner Anthony Caggiano had a crew of 7th and 8th-grade boys. Nachi and Joseph had specific plans and followed through while Adam, who is headed to Yeshiva Tiferes Torah of Boca Raton (TTB) next year, ended up buying gifts for his parents and younger siblings. While the Commissioner was impressed at the young man’s giving nature, he worked hard to convince him to buy something for himself. Margate City Commissioner Joanne Simone, also attended the event along with Vice Mayor Schwartz and Commissioner Caggiano. Cash contributions from the following groups funded “Chanukah with a Cop” and "Cops and Kids” this year. Donors include:* St. Vincent Men’s Guild $3,100 Walmart $2,500 M&M Asphalt $2,000 Fraternal Order of Police $1,000 Margate Alliance of Condominiums $1,000 Margate City Commission $1,000 Mack, Mack & Waltz $750 Golden Coral $500 V&M Foods Enterprise $500 Kiwanis Club of Margate $500 Sam Curry Roofing $500 Airology Inc. $500 Bella Vista Contracting $500 Complete Property Management $500 Rapid Plumbing & Maintenance $500 Campbell Property Management $500 Donovan Mundle $500 Cops & Kids Program $480 Palm Lakes Condominium $207 Seminole Casino $200 Roz Scheraldi $173 Jesika Zeller $100 Ladies Club of Holiday Springs $100 Elizabeth Poole $50 Ruggero Nicoletti $30 Ronald Dashwood $25 Margaret Pelose $25 Anna Fama $25 Angeline Suarez $25 Patricia Kelly-Hecht $25 Holiday Springs ME $25 John Dwyer $25 Martin Nadler $20 Elaine Diamond $10 _______________ *Per City of Margate records Chanukah with a Cop Articles 2015 Event Coverage: "Chanukah with a Cop" Caps Off Holiday for Area Youngsters 2014 Inaugural Event: Chanukah with a Cop
