Fair Lawn—Mayor John Cosgrove of Fair Lawn last week issued a proclamation honoring Rabbi Yudin for the publication of his book, “Rabbi Benjamin Yudin on the Parsha”, as well as his contributions to the Fair Lawn community for more than 40 years. The presentation took place at a book signing breakfast at Congregation Shomrei Torah, with more than 170 people attending.

Nachum Segal, host of the “JM in the AM” radio show also offered a tribute. Rabbi Yudin has been a regular on the Friday morning weekly Torah portion talks for the last 35 years. Segal said Rabbi Yudin’s dedication in providing his weekly talk over the years, literally went through rain, sleet, snow and broken international phone connections while the rabbi traveled in Israel and the former Soviet Union. Segal also told anecdotes of individuals he has met far and wide, from all walks of Jewish life, who met Rabbi Yudin “on the radio.”

An additional presentation was made to Rabbi Yudin by his wife, Shevi. She explained how the Rabbi’s Parhsa talk on JM in the AM started as a tribute to his parents and how his mother had two different radios—one always locked in to the JM in the AM station 91.1, so she would never miss the show. Shevi also told warm and amusing anecdotes regarding Jews and non-Jews who wanted to know if she was related to “Rabbi Yudin from the radio show,” evidencing how many people from all walks of life have been affected by his talks throughout the years.

Rabbi Yudin has been Rav of Congregation Shomrei Torah in Fair Lawn, New Jersey since 1969, and has taught at Yeshiva University for decades. Under Rabbi Yudin’s leadership and with the warm support and assistance of his wife, Shomrei Torah has grown from a minyan in the basement of a house to a warm and welcoming congregation with membership exceeding 300 families.

The book signing breakfast was sponsored by “Torah Tuesday,” a learning group inspired by Rabbi Yudin many years ago, which now meets three mornings a week and is taught by Rabbi Yudin and by Rabbi Yaakov Ehrenkrantz, a teacher in Shomrei Torah’s Beis Medrash program.