Rabbi Cunin Of Chabad Delivers

Fulfilling its theme of People Helping People, the 2007 Chabad To Life Telethon generated more than $7.18 million in charitable funds for the group's nonsectarian educational and social service programs. The broadcast offered audiences a unique mixture of festive Jewish music, heartfelt celebrity appeals, portraits of people involved with Chabad's services and of course, joyously dancing rabbis.
There are no words to express the depth of our gratitude to all our caring and compassionate supporters.

The incredible generosity shown by our community tonight is truly staggering, and truly inspiring said Rabbi Boruch S. Cunin, Director of West Coast Chabad, after the live broadcast. The contributions from our wonderful friends around the world will help Chabad continue our vital mission of reaching out to those in need. There are no words to express the depth of our gratitude to all our caring and compassionate supporters.

The six-hour Telethon highlighted the full range of Chabad's grassroots activities from summer camps to crisis intervention efforts, and senior programs to drug rehabilitation. Actor/comedian Elon Gold hosted the annual fundraiser with humor and grace, and was joined by comedy veteran Mark Schiff as his co-host. Telethon co-Chairmen Jerry Weintraub and Marshall Grossman also greeted the many on-air guests and helped spread the word about Chabad's charitable efforts.

A broad cross-section of Los Angeles' community leaders including Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Sheriff Lee Baca, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, and Councilman Jack Weiss came onstage to lend their support for Chabad's work. John R. Fishel, President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, also appeared on the program to encourage viewer donations.

In-studio celebrity guests included such film, TV, and radio stars as Shelley Berman, Elliott Gould, Mare Winningham, Joshua Malina, Don Stark, Vic The Brick Jacobs, Dennis Prager, and longtime Chabad supporter Jon Voight. There were also pre-taped messages from Jackie Mason, Martin Sheen, Keith David, Craig Ferguson, Greg Grunberg, Mario Lopez, Jack McGee, Regis Philbin, Howie Mandel, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The Telethon's musical lineup featured Mordechai Ben David, Gad Elbaz, 8th Day, Avraham Fried and the Yeshiva Boys Choir. The event got underway with a stirring performance of The Star Spangled Banner by acclaimed 6 year-old piano prodigy Ethan Bortnick.

Chabad's Lamplighter Humanitarian Award was presented to architect Robert Kite, who was surrounded by family members as he received recognition for his service to the children at Chabad's mountaintop campus in Running Springs.

The 27th anniversary edition of the Telethon was seen in major media markets across the United States, and was also watched online around the globe on ToLife. At the end of the night, the tote of viewer donations topped $7,180,000 and additional incoming contributions were still being tallied by computer.