Teaneck—Congregation Beth Abraham’s 19th annual dinner was held last week with Elissa and Barry Finkelstein as guests of hon­or. Steven Jacobs received the Max Sternbach Service Award. While the evening was a cele­bration of the thriving Bergenfield communi­ty of Torah and chesed, and highlighted the pride that community members have in their shul, the event began and ended with tehillim said for the safe return of the three kidnapped Israeli teens.

Elissa and Barry Finkelstein were honored for their many contributions over the decade they have lived in Teaneck. A respected physi­cian, Barry is also a strong presence in the beis midrash, and has spent a great deal of time and effort to support and grow the learning at Congregation Beth Abraham. He gives the Daf Yomi shiur and has been a co-chair of the adult education committee. Elissa has served on the shul’s nominating committee, and works at the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey as a speech and language pathologist, helping many of the community’s children in profound and lasting ways. “Now if only we could discov­er the secret formula of how to combine com­munal involvement, highly current podiatric and speech therapy skills, concerned and em­pathetic service, long working hours, serious Torah study, coaching, all together with rais­ing charming, giving and achievement-ori­ented children,” said Rabbi Yaakov Neuburger, Congregation Beth Abraham’s beloved mara d’asra.

Steven Jacobs, who received the Max Sternbach Service Award, is one of several spe­cial members of Congregation Beth Abraham “who contribute to the shul on a regular basis in such a meaningful way but almost always behind the scenes,” said Ari Gellman, the shul’s outgoing president. Jacobs has served on the shul’s board for three terms. In his role as gab­bai, he does many thing that people take for granted but are nonetheless pivotal to the ke­hillah’s existence. “Steven’s love for our shul and the ‘no problem is too much’ attitude… en­dears Steven to all who have come to know him,” said Neuburger. Jacobs and his wife Jan­ice also are intimately involved with several projects at Yeshivat Noam, where their involve­ment “has characteristically proven to be of in­estimable value and is one of the secrets of the yeshiva’s success,” said Neuburger.

The honorees and the rabbi also acknowl­edged the contributions of dinner chairs Ora and Aaron Kornbluth, with dinner committee members Tobah Farkas, Aviva Markowitz, Mir­iam Sabo, Sharon Wieder, and Meredith Yager, as well as journal chairs Yossi and Rachel Fried­man and Mendy and Rena Strulowitz. Ora Ko­rnbluth also thanked a number of elected officials and representatives from the Bergen­field Police and Buildings Departments, thank­ing them for them attendance and continued partnership.