Since its founding in 1992, it has been SHAI’s mission to enhance and preserve our wonderful Persian Jewish culture and community.  SHAI has served our diverse, multigenerational population with enthusiasm and dedication, providing support, connection, and a vast array of needed programming.  As your presidents, it has been our honor and privilege to contribute to SHAI’s mission: providing robust diverse programming, building and strengthening relationships with other local organizations, infusing our work with chessed components and Jewish tradition, and creating invaluable partnerships that have fostered a stronger and more vibrant community and have made SHAI relatable and accessible to all ages. The trademark of our term has been to take SHAI to the next level.  We are honored to have been able to achieve increased community programming and growth, and to partner with SHAI’s incredible board, who pour their passion and devotion into meeting our objectives and achieving our shared successes.  

SHAI’s programs and events serve and unite our Long Island, Manhattan, and tri-state Persian communities. With a varied range of offerings, including social events, holiday celebrations, cultural programs, and educational forums, SHAI reaches out to our entire community, from youth to singles to seniors.  We also strongly emphasize the importance of giving back and paying it forward, providing innovative chessed opportunities for our young people to take an active role in helping others. Staying engaged and involved in our unique community is vital because we are כאיש אחד בלב אחד.

It has been gratifying over these last four years to see our vision and efforts come to fruition, with a tremendous increase in community partnerships and collaborations, and exponential growth in dynamic and relatable programming.  We have continued to strive for the next level right up to the conclusion of our term, fulfilling a dream of ours, a gift to the community:  the launch of our beautiful new website. We are proud to now have a proper platform to showcase SHAI’s impact on the community and to preserve its legacy.  We urge everyone to explore our new website and see SHAI’s impact on the community these past 33 years. Thank you for giving us the privilege and opportunity to serve SHAI and to enhance and grow our beautiful community for the benefit of future generations.  We encourage you all to join us in this mission and stay tuned and attend our upcoming events. 

Although we are ending our term as your presidents, we are proud to continue to serve on SHAI’s board as Vice Presidents.  Additionally, Erika will lead SHAI Young Families and SHAI New York City.  It is our pleasure to welcome and congratulate our good friend and fellow board member, the Honorable Mojgan Cohanim Lancman, as the new president of SHAI. We look forward to wonderful new chapter for SHAI.

With much dedication, admiration, and appreciation,

Erika and Edwin