On Motzei Shabbat, December 21, Bais Medrash of Bergenfield’s kehilla will gather at Keter Torah to celebrate their shul’s 20th anniversary.
Housed in a beautiful facility on South Prospect Avenue in Bergenfield, BMOB is proud of its tremendous growth over the past two decades. Currently the shul has over 250 member families and over 80 affiliate member families. There is an array of learning opportunities including a Shabbat morning learning chabura, Thursday night mishmar, a semichas chaver shiur and a weekly women’s Parsha shiur. Despite its growth, BMOB is still highly regarded for its warm and welcoming spirit.
BMOB President Daniel Barzideh, who has served on BMOB’s board for the past 13 years, sees the upcoming 20th Anniversary Dinner as “an opportunity to reflect on the growth of the kehilla and express gratitude to two couples whose spirit of generosity and dedication have helped shape the BMOB community.”
“Talya and Jason Koenig have been members of BMOB since its inception,” Barzideh said. “Their contributions over the past 20 years have been nothing short of extraordinary. Talya was one of the founders of the BMOB sisterhood, helping initiate the ‘Meet the Members’ events, the mishloach manot project and other programming. For over a decade she hosted a weekly women’s shiur in her home. Her leadership as sisterhood president helped foster a warm and inclusive environment for the shul.
“Jason began serving on the board of BMOB in 2007, and went on to serve as vice president and then president. As shul president for four years and most recently as co-chair of the rabbinic search committee, Jason has demonstrated his vision and steadfast commitment to BMOB. Talya and Jason currently serve on BMOB’s board of trustees. Together, their remarkable dedication has left an enduring legacy that continues to inspire us all.”
Barzideh continued: “Esther and Yonatan Isser have brought incredible energy and expertise to BMOB since joining six years ago. Yonatan’s professional skills in development were instrumental in leading the successful shul building project, guiding every step with precision and care. Thanks to Yonatan’s leadership, we now have a beautiful new home for our growing community. Together with Esther’s impactful work as a dedicated member of our youth committee, the Issers have strengthened BMOB in meaningful ways that will benefit us for years to come.”
Rabbi Zev Goldberg, morah d’asrah of BMOB, expressed his anticipation of the milestone dinner and the choice of honorees.
“We are very blessed to honor two outstanding couples at the BMOB 20th Anniversary Dinner this year. Talya and Jason Koenig are the paradigm of shul leadership,” Rabbi Goldberg said. “They stepped forward because the Jewish community really matters to them. They both set the standard extremely high for integrity, clarity and yashrus. Both Talya and Jason have left an indelible mark on our shul and we continue to look to them as beacons of wisdom and guidance.”
The rabbi continued: “Esther and Yonatan Isser share a common trait with the Koenigs. They saw a need and stepped up. Yonatan played a critical role in the shul’s expansion project. Esther utilizes her incredible skills as an educator to enhance our youth department. They came forward to contribute because the community needed them. We are so fortunate that the Issers see BMOB as an extension of their home.”
Kudos to the dinner chairs who have dedicated so much time and effort into the planning of this milestone event. They include Mati Goldstein, Shira Hochberg, Tamar Retter and their dedicated committee members.
Bais Medrash of Bergenfield invites the community to join them at their 20th Anniversary Dinner on Saturday night, December 21, to be held at Congregation Keter Torah, 600 Roemer Avenue in Teaneck. RSVP at https://www.bmob.org/form/dinner-2024.html