East Meadow Jewish Center honors two of its own

Posted

The East Meadow Jewish Center honored Michael Brass, an East Meadow chiropractor, and Kayla Holmes, a senior at East Meadow High School, as its Man of the Year and Youth of the Year, respectively, at the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs 35th Chaverim Kol Israel dinner.

Brass and his wife, Shana, have been members of the East Meadow Jewish

Center for over 17 years. He has held many positions in the Men's club, most recent being the chairman of the board and the immediate past president. He has served as chair for the annual Islanders Hanukkah game, ushered during the high holy days and assisted in the construction of the temple’s sukkah.

Brass has held his chiropractor service for over 28 years. He is a graduate of the Southern California College of Health Sciences.

Brass has three children; his son Matthew is a senior at the University of Rhode Island, he daughter Jessica, is a junior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and his daughter Ilyssa is a freshman at the University of Delaware.

Kayla Holmes is a part time babysitter and a host at TGI Friday's in addition to being a member of the Varsity volleyball and basketball team at East Meadow High School. She is also a musician and has practiced the violin since 4th grade.

Holmes is an active member in both the Art Honor Society and the American Sign Language Honor Society. With aspirations of becoming a pediatric nurse in the future, Holmes is a hardworking, focused student.

Throughout the past few years, Holmes has been involved with the East Meadow Jewish Center Hebrew School and the USY/Kadima youth group, currently serving as the co-president of the East Meadow chapter. Holmes has also been chosen as her division’s co-chair in the 2018-19 year for the Ruach USY Kinnus, where she will work with a few of her peers to help create, plan, lead, and execute a weekend filled with prayers, fun activities, and lots of food for over 200 Jewish teens.

In summer 2016, Holmes traveled across the country with 40 other Jewish teens as part of the “USY on Wheels Classic.” She spent the next summer traveling across Europe and Israel on a “USY Pilgrimage.” In the upcoming summer, Holmes will be a part of the staff of the Ramah Day Camp in Nyack, New York.

“USY means so much to me and the temple means so much to me so receiving this award is really important,” she said.