Fair Lawn’s Darchei Noam will be celebrating its 14th annual dinner on Tuesday, April 1. The guests of honor will be Adam and Lisa Pasternak, while the Keter Shem Tov award will be given to the Community Security Service (CSS) team of volunteers.

The shul, which was founded in 2006 with barely over a minyan’s worth of members, has since experienced rapid growth, particularly in recent years. During the past 12 months its membership surpassed the 200 family milestone. Importantly, its growth has not come at the expense of its warmth. As Dinner Chair Simi Spector put it, “Although the shul is bursting at the seams, it still has a small shul feel to it.” She compared it to the old 1980s’ television series “Cheers” explaining, “Everyone at Darchei Noam finds their place. Everyone is comfortable and everyone is happy to be there.”

Rabbi Jeremy Donath, who has been the shul’s rabbinic leader since its inception, spoke of its metamorphosis, as its founding members passed the baton over to a core group of newer members in the 28-40 age range, who have since taken ownership. He noted that the honorees exemplify that concept. The Pasternaks recently finished a stint as youth directors, introducing a level of programming that he believed placed them among the top in the country. He further lauded Adam as someone who is a “jack of all trades with amazing energy.” He added that Adam also serves as his right-hand man for setting up shiurim and initiated the BTS (Boy Torah Sports) program at the shul for preteens, which has been a rousing success. He concluded by characterizing Adam as a “natural leader who has been a glue for the community.”

Rabbi Donath credited Lisa, the current sisterhood president, with being one of the sisterhood’s foundational visionaries, starting it from the ground up three years ago and introducing numerous activities and programs. Those thoughts were seconded by Spector, who described the Pasternaks as “serious doers, always helping in so many capacities,” adding, “When they sign up for anything they do it well, with all details expertly handled.”

Turning to the recognition bestowed on the CSS team, which includes 24 volunteers, Rabbi Donath could not be prouder. He noted that Darchei Noam was the first shul in town to initiate such a security effort, not long after the Tree of Life killings in Pittsburgh, which he considered a game changer for Jewish institutions.

He credited shul member Adam Buchoff for building their CSS team, which he feels is emblematic of the shul itself, “diverse and welcoming.” He further explained that in many ways CSS is “a community within a community, a microcosm of the shul where Jewish identity and pride flourish.”

When reached for comment, Buchoff shared that he had been involved in CSS for over a dozen years since 2012, starting it at Darchei Noam in 2019. He shared that the overriding goal of CSS is to “protect Jewish life and the Jewish way of life.” Elaborating, he stated, “When we are fully present outside in our role, it allows people to be fully present inside the shul, be it in tefillah, youth activities, learning or teaching or just hanging out. That, to me, is what protecting Jewish life means.”

Rabbi Shua Katz, who joined Darchei Noam with his family in the summer of 2022 as assistant rabbi and leads many of its shiurim and special Yom Tov programs, reflected on the honorees as well. He sees the Pasternaks as “a couple who have contributed so much as role models for the shul’s youth,” and, similar to Spector, marveled at Adam’s attention to detail, which he called “his trademark trait.” He also spoke of Lisa’s role in helping elevate the sisterhood by engaging its members and providing creative programming. As for CSS, he noted that the volunteers see the shul as a community, and have stepped it up to fill communal needs. He said he felt lucky to live in a community rife with warmth and interconnectedness.

Rabbi Donath circled back to the goals of the shul. Last year, it had been a fundraising effort to purchase an additional property given the rapid expansion of its membership. That effort was successful, resulting in the purchase of the house next door. “Down the road though,” he added, “the vision is to have one large building to accommodate our membership.”

The April 1 dinner will take place at 7:30 p.m. at the Fair Lawn Jewish Center, 10-10 Norma Ave., across the street from Darchei Noam. For more information about the dinner, contact Spector at [email protected].

Robert Isler is a freelance writer who focuses on Jewish-related issues. He can be reached at [email protected].