The leadership of Congregation Ohav Emeth of Highland Park is pleased to invite community members to join them in celebrating the 25th anniversary of devoted leadership and inspired guidance of the shul by their rabbi and rebbetzin, Rabbi Eliyahu and Debby Kaufman, during the shul’s 40th anniversary dinner. The dinner will be held on Sunday June 22, starting at 5 p.m., at the Chabad House on the Rutgers University/New Brunswick campus.
Rabbi Kaufman attended the Yeshiva of Staten Island, Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalem, where he received semicha from his great-uncle, the Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Moshe Feinstein and his son, Rabbi Reuven Feinstein, in 1983. Rabbi Kaufman learned in the kollel of the yeshiva until 1985 and received a master’s degree in counseling and guidance from St. John’s University in New York. He served as a congregational rabbi at the Young Israel of Eltingville for seven years and then as the assistant rabbi of the Young Israel of Staten Island (the largest Young Israel shul in the world!) for eight years, before taking the position of rav of Congregation Ohav Emeth in Highland Park in 2000.
Rabbi Kaufman is an active member of the Vaad HaRabanim of Raritan Valley. He taught Torah studies to students at the Rabbi Jacob Joseph School (RJJ) for 28 years and now devotes himself full-time to the needs of the shul and the community. He also gives instruction in practical rabbinics for a noted kollel training program in New Jersey.
Rebbetzin Kaufman has served as a systems analyst at Handelman Record Company and Manufacturers Hanover Bank and a consultant at Exxon and Seagrams. She provided computer training to students at the Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva (RPRY), the Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy/Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School and RJJ for 16 years, then took a position as an information data control specialist. She is recently retired, now working full time as a ‘Bubbe’ and rebbetzin. She has been actively involved in supporting the work of Bikur Cholim and the Highland Park Mikvah.
Rabbi Eliyahu and Rebbetzin Debby Kaufman are blessed with a growing family of married children, sons- and daughters-in-law, and grandchildren.
“Under Rabbi Eliyahu and Rebbetzin Debby Kaufman’s dedicated leadership, our shul has grown in many ways,” said Steven Steinhart, immediate past president of Congregation Ohav Emeth. “We have multiple morning minyanim (three on weekdays, four on Shabbosim), many new young couples and young family members, and a wide range of social and educational activities. Now we have an assistant rabbi as well. We are so honored to have such a dynamic and warm couple as Rabbi and Rebbetzin Kaufman, who are true role models for us.”
“With the steady guidance of our rabbi and rebbetzin over 25 years, our shul has become a highly regarded home for dignified tefillah, Torah study, far-reaching chesed, activism in support of Israel and its soldiers, children’s activities, and more,” said Moishe Malek, shul president. “Thousands of community members and visitors have been touched by their remarkable leadership and self-sacrifice. We are grateful for this opportunity to honor them for all the many things they have done for us.”
The dinner cost is $250/person and $500/couple. Sponsorship opportunities are available as well. The deadline for ads in the dinner journal is Monday, June 16. For more information, and to submit an ad, send an email to office@ohavemeth.org
Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at harryglazer615@gmail.com and he welcomes constructive criticism, unalloyed praise, and story suggestions. He is very grateful to Dr. Moishe Malek, Steve Deutsch, Michael Garber, and Sara Fischer for their help with this news story.
