I started writing this piece with the stirring sounds and music of Eitan Katz and Simcha Leiner still resounding in my ears as I began the first night of selichot with a beautiful multi-shul pre-selichot kumzitz with Eitan Katz as the main attraction. That packed event, a joint venture between Teaneck’s Keter Torah and Bergenfield’s Beth Abraham, at which both Rabbi Sholom Baum and Rabbi Moshe Zvi Weinberg spoke quite movingly, led into a beautiful selichot which ended after 2 a.m. What a way to start saying selichot!

Of course, I was exhausted the next day but certainly not too tired to attend a special evening for HASC the next night hosted by the special Schachter family (Bennett and Tammi) at their home in Bergenfield. While the main highlight of the evening was again the great Simcha Leiner, I must confess that my favorite part of the evening was hearing Jonah Schachter speak about his experience as a HASC counselor this past summer.

Jonah, the Schachters’ eldest son and just back from a year in Israel at Aish Gesher, is a young man I have known since he was 5 and a close friend of my son. He spoke so eloquently about his summer as a HASC counselor and how it changed and affected him, and his parents and family as well. I was touched to hear how well he spoke and how moved he was by the experience of caring and tending to literally every need of his HASC campers who needed so much help. It was clear to all listening how much his summer meant to him and his family. HASC has literally changed his outlook on the world and life, as it has so many others, and I was proud to be there to hear him, although I am sure his parents were prouder.

Along with staying up late or waking up a bit earlier to say selichot comes the common and sometimes painful realization that Elul is ending, Rosh Hashanah is here and another year has passed. Looking back and reflecting a bit, this past year was one of significant growth for this paper in terms of new staff, new projects and higher page counts, but also many new business challenges such as inflation and the crazy rise in printing costs.

On a personal note, the year began with the difficult passing of my father-in-law Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Glick, z”l. My wife and I also experienced a tremendous high with the marriage of our eldest child Tamar to Isaac Aronoff. The year  תשפ״ב / 5782 was certainly not an “average” year for The Jewish Link and our family.

I would like to wish a heartfelt K’tiva V’Chatima Tova to our editors, writers and staff who literally breathe life into The Jewish Link each and every week. I wish a similarly heartfelt K’tiva V’Chatima Tova to our advertisers and partners who support our efforts in so many ways. And of course, best wishes and a Shana Tova U’metukah to all of our special and beloved readers and communities who welcome our paper into their homes every week and every Yom Tov! We would not have succeeded without you. It is my hope and wish that the new year ahead—5783—be filled with more bracha and success than sorrow for all of you and the Jewish people.

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I don’t want to end without wishing a mazal tov to my parents, Aaron and Toby Kinderlehrer (aka Zaydie and Bubbie K.) upon their move from Kew Gardens Hills to Bergenfield just over a week ago. Yes, there are now two Kinderlehrer families in Northern New Jersey (Our last name is not that common, as you might guess). My parents have been thinking about moving to our area for years as three of their four children currently live in here, but a part of me felt that they would never do it. I was wrong! The desire to be nearer to their grandchildren and children won out over staying in Queens, where they have lived for nearly 50 years. It was not an easy decision for them but I am happy about having them closer to us for many reasons. Mom, Dad (aka Ima and Abba): Welcome to the community and may you enjoy many years of bracha and simcha in your new home! (Special thanks to the many in the Beth Abraham community that have already warmly welcomed my parents in shul and on the street!)

By Moshe Kinderlehrer/
Co-Publisher, The Jewish Link