Met Council celebrated its 40th anniversary Thursday night at Guastavino’s with over 400 friends and supporters.

L to R  Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Honorees Jackie Ebron, Susie & Henry Orenstein, Met Council CEO, William E. Rapfogel and Rabbi David Cohen, CEO of Chevra Hatzolah and past Met Council Executive Vice President

 The cocktail and dessert reception honored Robert Freedman, Colliers International Chairman, Tri-State Region, Henry Orenstein, Holocaust survivor, philanthropist, and long-time supporter of Met Council and his wife Susie, and Jackie Ebron, Met Council’s own Director of Client Services, for their unwavering dedication to the mission of the organization. The event raised significant funds for Met Council’s programs thanks to the generosity of our sponsors and attendees, but the biggest marvel of the evening came when Orenstein presented a major gift to Willie Rapfogel, CEO & Excecutive Director of Met Council.

Met Council Board President Steven Price and CEO William E. Rapfogel with Honoree Robert L. Freedman, Coillers International, Chairman, Tri-State Region

The announcement was met with a standing ovation from the crowd in honor of Orenstein’s altruism- a gift that set the tone for the rest of the evening. The evening continued with a live auction with Rabbi Meir Soloveichik as the auctioneer. His animated and exuberant presentation of the many prizes filled the room with excitement and happy bidders. Another highlight was hearing from Jennifer Spivak, a Met Council client and survivor of domestic violence. Spivak’s bravery and resilience was apparent as she shared her story of being helped out of an abusive relationship thanks to Met Council’s Domestic Violence department. The celebration ended with the donation of the centerpieces, which were made out of vegetables, to Met Council’s food program.

Thank you to all who participated in this successful event!

View more photos from the event