Larger Than Life

For Immediate Release

With a score of doctors; nurses and chaperons in tow--21 "Larger Than Life" children completed their Dream Flight to the East Coast of the U.S. with a personal meeting with the mayor of Englewood, New Jersey – Mr. Michael Wildes.

The children: boys and girls, Moslems, Jews, Christians, Palestinians and Israelis, without discrimination of religion, race or gender, came to New York after 10 days of traveling and seeing America and meeting its people. They visited – Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, evening performances and even enjoyed the warm hospitality for Friday night dinner with Jewish families in Orlando.

The mayor hosted the children in his office in Manhattan, offering them refreshments. Wildes wished the children a full recovery and told the children that, in his opinion, everyone deserves their own "Disney" and he only wished that he could use a magic wand in order to provide this. The mayor purchased a gift bag for each child from a local Disney store—yet another gift among many that the children received from generous donors, volunteers and hosts throughout their trip.

The visit to the office of the mayor---who is currently the only Sabbath observant Jewish mayor of a municipality in the United States - was very exciting, especially in light of the fact that he was able to witness Israeli coexistence with his own eyes. The children were similarly surprised to hear and speak to the mayor in fluent Hebrew, while shaking hands with him and telling him about themselves. Wildes promised the children to serve as their ambassador in his country and that he would be willing and ready to help whenever necessary.

Paid for by Friends of Michael J. Wildes, Claudia Colbert, Treasurer