An act of good faith
Jewish Santas save day
A Jewish family from Connecticut has pulled off a Christmas miracle for 2,200 needy kids in New York City.
The family sprang into action when Toys for Tots was overwhelmed by demand and didn’t have enough toys to go around.
Within 24 hours, Gabriella Rizack, 22, her dad, Joshua, and brothers Reid and Emmet came to the rescue by raising $17,000 to deliver gifts to the waiting children — including kids in domestic-violence shelters.
Gabriella volunteered after seeing an appeal for the toy charity online, persuading her father to overcome his reservations about wearing a St. Nick costume.
“What’s a Jew doing putting on a Santa Claus suit?” Joshua quipped.
“Think about all the Christians who died liberating the [concentration] camps and how we can set an example to people of all religions, Dad,” Gabriella responded.
In a heartfelt fund-raising appeal Sunday to 15 friends and associates, Joshua pointed out that charity is universal.
“Never in my life did I think I’d be begging friends and neighbors to drop everything to help with a Christmas project. Nor did I ever expect to find myself dressed as Santa Claus or my kids as Mrs. Claus and two elves,” he said in the appeal.
“But God put us in this position for some reason, and we are grateful to Him for, yes, the opportunity to do something right and special this year. We now offer it to you, with our most heartfelt thanks and hopefulness. Gabriella says she just knows you’re going to say yes.”
Joshua said he was “blown away” by the response. About $17,000 came in within 24 hours — and money is still pouring in.
Joshua, a financial consultant, thanked the New York Multifamily Group at Marcus Millichap and the Friezo Family Foundation for major donations.
Michael Sciaraffo, who founded the Secret Sandy Claus Project after Hurricane Sandy ravaged parts of the city in 2012, confirmed that the Rizacks were the folks who saved Christmas.
“This was the most moving, beautiful and heartwarming thing that has ever been written about what we do. I am literally bawling right now,” Sciaraffo said in a letter to Joshua.
Sciaraffo said Toys for Tots has been a strong backer of his program, and delivered 2,800 toys out of the 5,000 needed but couldn’t come up with the rest in time.
The Rizacks picked up the slack.