(Courtesy of CBY) The entire Teaneck community is invited to join our (lockdown-compliant) send-off for Rabbi Steven and Karen Pruzansky, as they realize their dream of עליה and move to Israel next month.
In their over 26 years of devoted community service and outstanding Torah leadership, Bnai Yeshurun—and the broader Teaneck Jewish community—has grown remarkably. On the Pruzanskys’ arrival from Queens in 1994, Congregation Bnai Yeshurun had just over 200 families. It has almost three times as many today, and in a much larger building. The shul they leave is the most robust in one of America’s most vibrant and active Torah communities, with over a dozen minyanim on any given weekday, and a roster of shiurim, learning opportunities and חסד activities befitting the flagship shul of Teaneck.
Educationally, Rabbi Pruzansky has enriched our community in countless ways, from his memorable Shabbos morning sermons, several shiurim during the week, international Heritage tours, numerous lecture series on Jewish history from differing and complex perspectives, and Torah leaders like Israeli ראשי ישיבה who always have CBY on their American schedules. Religiously, under Rabbi Pruzansky’s leadership, CBY has emerged as a leading presence in the American Torah community, and our shul’s commitment to תפילה בצבור, תלמוד תורה, and גמילות חסדים is known all over the world. Countless visitors have been enthralled by the rabbi’s unique ability to� analyze an issue, a question, a problem or an anniversary and seamlessly weave together ר’ יהודה הנשיא and רבי עקיבא, אביי and רבא, the Geonim, the Rambam, Rif and Rosh, the מחבר and רמ”א, the Vilna Gaon and Ba’al Hatanya, Rav Kook with the Rav, and Rav Moshe with Rav Ovadya Yosef and Rav Aviner, and the odd bit of presidential or baseball trivia for good measure.
Karen will leave an enormous void of her own. Her סבר פנים יפות has welcomed scores of new neighbors to town, her genuine smile has brightened every CBY simcha for all of us, and her sympathetic ear exemplifies being נושאת בעול עם חברה, lightening more heavy burdens than anyone knows. She opened the Pruzansky home to shiurim, bar-mitzvah basketball games, and bat-mitzvah Purim parties, and always with her characteristic loving smile and warmth.
The Pruzanskys will leave Teaneck for מודיעין, another veritable beehive of Torah activity in Israel’s center, roughly halfway between ירושלים and תל אביב.� With children and grandchildren nearby, the Rabbi and Karen look forward to being at least as busy as they were in Teaneck.
The send-off will be a car parade on Sunday, June 28, beginning at 10 a.m., with the starting point having attendees lining up on Jefferson Street (CBY will be on the right) facing West Englewood. Everyone is encouraged to decorate their cars and adorn them with Israeli flags as we wish our מרא דאתרא and his rebbetzin a דרך צלחה, a קליטה נעימה and of course a צאתכם לשלום .
Please note that there will be music and opportunities for (socially distanced) well-wishing with everyone on this bittersweet occasion of thanking the Pruzanskys for all they have done and conveying our hopes and prayers for an easy transition into their new home in Israel. We hope to see everyone there!
