The Jewish Center of Teaneck will host its annual dinner Monday, June 24, honoring three distinguished families who continuously dedicate themselves to the shul, the Jewish community and the State of Israel.

The Jewish Center is privileged to dedicate its Aron Kodesh in honor of Mrs. Jewel Brenner and in memory of her late husband Dr. Walter Brenner z”l. The Brenners have been longstanding members of the shul and the community, always embracing the opportunity to contribute in any way possible.

“The Brenner story is the story of the Jewish people. A little boy runs away from the Nazis in Vienna, grows up, meets his life partner, and goes on not only to build a family and a community, but help build the Jewish state. It is a story of redemption,” said Rabbi Fridman, Rabbi of The Jewish Center.

Dr. Walter Brenner was a professor of chemical engineering and is credited with developing a major technological advance used by the IDF to delay explosions of army tanks. This invention saved the lives of many Israeli soldiers. Those who knew him remember Dr. Brenner as a true hero to the Jewish people and someone who helped build the state of Israel. The Brenner family proudly perpetuates his legacy in support of Israel and will be dedicating an ambulance to Magen David Adom in his memory.

The distinguished community service award will be presented to Alysa and Amir Cohen who have been actively involved in the shul since 2013. Alysa, a teacher at Yeshivat Noam and chair of the youth committee, along with Amir, the founding gabbai for Eidot HaMizrach, the Sephardic/Moroccan minyan, sampled several shuls before finding their place at The Jewish Center. The Cohens fondly recall meeting Rabbi Fridman and his wife Chaya at a Shabbat meal when the shul was in the process of searching for a new rabbi. “We were impressed immediately by their warmth, and when the Fridmans joined The Jewish Center in 2016, we became members,” Alyssa said.

Amir was passionate about starting a Sephardic minyan and turned to Rabbi Fridman for permission. The Rabbi not only agreed, said Amir, he offered to help in any way possible to ensure the success of the minyan, which has subsequently grown tremendously, meeting every Shabbat since its inception. Shortly after becoming members, Alysa became the chair of the newly formed youth committee. She, along with a dedicated team, hired youth directors Yiskah and Yishai Klein, also honorees at this year’s dinner.

Alysa and Amir have decided to make Aliyah to Zichron Yaakov this summer. Though this is a lifelong dream, they know that saying goodbye to the community and their beloved shul will be difficult. “We feel privileged to have been involved in the growth of The Jewish Center which has flourished so much under the amazing leadership of Rabbi Daniel and Chaya Fridman,” said the Cohens.

Both Alysa and Amir have recently completed one final project for the shul. Amir, along with fellow member Shmuel Elhadad, built and donated a shulchan (table) for the minyan that can accommodate a new Sephardic sefer torah which is used in the vertical position and therefore requires a different type of table from an Ashkenazi sefer torah which is placed on an angled tabletop. Alysa formed and headed a search committee to find the new youth director, Batsheva Chait, who will assume the position this summer after the Kleins depart.

The Cohens feel tremendous gratitude to The Jewish Center and specifically to Rabbi Fridman. “Amir and I are in awe of the incredible work Rabbi Fridman has done to revitalize The Jewish Center in such a short time. He is bridging the gap between the longstanding as well as the fledgling members of the community,” Alysa expressed. “We are proud that we had a part in this success, and are very hopeful for the future of The Jewish Center.”

Likewise, Rabbi Fridman and members of the congregation feel tremendous gratitude to the Cohens whose unending commitment to the shul is inspiring. “The Cohen family is built on values. You see it in the kids – Rami, Daphna, Yonatan, and Amir- but it starts with Alysa and Amir. They are about hard work. They are about community. They are about no nonsense and no shortcuts. They are about respect. And they are about Israel. We could not be prouder of their aliyah, or more grateful for their service,” said Rabbi Fridman.

Yiskah and Yishai Klein, outgoing youth directors at The Jewish Center, will be honored with the Community Service Award. The Kleins came to New Jersey on Shlichut three years ago to teach at Ben Porat Yosef. Soon after, they were hired as youth directors for the shul. At the time there weren’t many kids in shul and those who were there didn’t seem to have a place to go. They suggested creating a new minyan for kids ages 9-12 which included davening and learning parshat hashavua. The minyan grew quickly and the Kleins are overjoyed to see the groups now overflowing with children.

“The Kleins have done a beautiful job as youth directors, bringing spirit, Zionism, Israeli culture and an overall positive atmosphere to the youth department at the shul,” expressed Rabbi Fridman. “They succeeded beyond our most fanciful imagination. And they did so because of a certain spark which animated them, a certain intangible leadership which Yishai carries, and a complete sense of authenticity and goodness which defines Yiskah. They will be leaders of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel. This much is clear to me.”

The Kleins said they felt immediately welcomed by the community, the shul and specifically Rabbi Fridman. “Rabbi Fridman leads the congregation with wisdom, care and warmth,” commented Yiskah. “We feel a tremendous merit to have been part of this wonderful congregation.” The Kleins are returning to Israel to live in Ramat Hagolan and will surely miss the wonderful people, both old and young, with whom they have developed lasting friendships.

There is a well known Gemara that says a shul is an outpost to the land of Israel. Each of the honorees have demonstrated this philosphy through their immeasurable service to The Jewish Center of Teaneck and to Eretz Yisrael.

The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. preceded by the ambulance dedication at 5 p.m. For more information, please visit www.JCOT.org

By Andrea Nissel

�