A Culinary Artist transforming Ordinary Lives

Art is our one true global language. It knows no nation, it favors no race, and it acknowledges no class. It speaks to our need to reveal, heal, and transform. It transcends our ordinary lives and lets us imagine what is possible.” – Richard Kamler

By day Zein is a realtor and retired Infection Control Professional but by night she is a passionate cook who has brought her exquisite, passion filled Middle East cooking to Barrington. She is lovingly called “the Falafel Lady” by children at chess tournaments who enjoy her homemade Falafels and Hommos that was sold to raise funds for various charities since 2000. What started out as an adventure in helping to raise funds ended up becoming a serious humanitarian venture. Since its debut Zein’s middle eastern cuisine has helped raise over $250,000 for local and global charities, youth social entrepreneurs have joined Zein and her team of volunteers to win awards and honors for their unusual fundraising skills. Over 100 students since 2000 have won the prestigious Presidential Youth Volunteer Award from the White House. They have done this by selling her food, spices, organizing dinners and coming up with projects of their own.

As the range and scope of the charities advanced the impact of Zein's experiment has touched many lives. Driven by the ambition to raise funds towards a goal youth engaged in these projects discovered skills that they did not realize they had, such as 12 year old Prashant Ramakrishnan saying, "I did not know I could be a public speaker" or 14 year old Eleanore Marjwik van Kooy saying, "I did not know I was a videographer".

Acts of generosity have inspired others as well. Celebrities such as BJ Armstrong, a former Bulls Basketball player volunteered to attend a chess tournament at Barrington High School to raise funds for donating chess sets to underprivileged schools. He enjoyed learning chess as shown in the photograph but loved Zein's Falafel, "This is a fantastic Falafel", he said. Renown Artist Mort Luby heard about youth raising funds for the ex-prisoner Christmas luncheon and he helped by hosting a tour of his personal gallery. Zein brought her usual spread captivating the audience. All proceeds of the experience were donated to charity. Then we have Dr Rakesh Khanzanchi from India who heard about youth in Barrington raising funds for plastic surgery for a severe burn victim and he said, "I can do that too". Dr Khanzanchi donated his services to do an extensive plastic surgery procedure for this little girls hands and face. He later visited Barrington and was able to teach the group about the surgery thanks to the dinner hosted by Zein Bertacchi and the volunteers.

Besides the cognitive, social, humanitarian and cultural awareness instilled by these projects they also highlight and develop leadership skills in youth. Teenagers Prashant and Pranav Ramakrishnan were visiting their grandparents in Southern India when they realised there was a school for orphans for victims of the civil war in Sri Lanka that needed a roof. They returned to the US and asked Zein to help raise funds for a roof for the orphanage. During the chess tournament many people learned about the civil war in Sri Lanka while raising $700 for the roof. Similarly when Salem United Methodist Church organized a mission trip to South Korea last year, youth including 10 year old Jack Weed helped to raise funds to allow 15 adults to travel to Korea. At the chess tournament children met adult volunteers whose fathers fought in the Korean war and learned about their sacrifices.

To witness this magical evening of combining your curiosity about our youth volunteers and enjoying the privilege of eating a special home cooked middle eastern meal made by a culinary artist join us on April 6th at 4 pm at Salem United Methodist Church.

"We are ordinary people doing things that become extraordinary for others."Zein Bertacchi.

Special thanks to Artist Sue Whitney for the design and to John Dever, Jack Weed, Krish Nara for hosting the event.