The Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School held its second annual fundraiser at the home of Palm Beach magnates James and Lisa Cohen on March 29, 2018 from 6:30-8:30 PM. Cristo Rey is a private Roman Catholic high school in Brooklyn New York that operates within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. The school opened in 2008 and runs from 9th to 12th grade with over 320 students currently enrolled.

Ray Bouderau, Frederick Anderson and Lisa Cohen

The school, which has a lengthy waitlist, requires attendees to take an exam to show sufficient aptitude to endure the rigors of the challenging curriculum All of the students graduate and attend college on full scholarships. The school began on the site of the former Lady of Lourdes Elementary School with the goal of giving children from low-income families a better chance for a college education, with assistance available for those who were unable to pay the $2,000 annual tuition. In 2013 it moved to more spacious quarters in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn and partnered with “Boys Hope Girls Hope” to provide boarding facilities for 50 girls.

Sharon Bush and Bob Murray

Tonight’s event, which honored heiress Ruby Rinker, was spearheaded by Sharon Bush who gathered 100 of her nearest and dearest friends to join forces in supporting this pivotal charity. For those who don’t know Sharon she is the former daughter-in-law of George Herbert Walker Bush and counts herself an acolyte of Joel Osteen. Sharon radiates goodness and was lucky enough to pass on her desire to help others to daughter Lauren who is married to Ralph Lauren’s son.

Leonard Lauren

I had the opportunity to converse with the brother of Ralph, Leonard, who proudly acknowledged recently celebrating Ralph Lauren’s 50th anniversary. Leonard, who always wears his own brand, attributed the success of the brand to the family who he claimed “were not money driven” but just enjoyed beautiful things. If you enjoy beautiful things the place to be was the home of James and Lisa Cohen which I mistook for a museum and later learned this was only one of four abodes in New York, Alpine and East Hampton.

Guest dancing

James is the Hudson News heir and a partner in Dufry, the world’s largest duty-free retailer. He and his wife Lisa share a love for architecture and design which was readily apparent by the opulent landscapes and grounds of their mansion. Sharon Bush thanked the Cohen’s for providing such a splendid setting and welcomed friends from near and far including, famed designer Frederick Anderson who flew in from New York for the festivities, and Ray Bouderau who just came back from Dubai and praised Sharon as one of the “great hostesses.”

Paola Bacchini, Jean Shafiroff and graduate Glody Omasombo

Some other New York socialites attending were Jean Shafiroff, Paola Bacchini and Matt Rich. A live auction was held where a Hunt Slonem painting sold for $1100 to Ray Bouderau; the evening ultimately raised $100,000. Society staple Alex Donner and his fantastic orchestra entertained the enthusiastic guests with lively tunes. When the evening concluded at the early hour of 9 PM, guests headed home with some moisturizers, magazines and a gold hoop chain from Sequin.

– Lieba Nesis

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