Teaneck–Celebrating its 28th year, the Jewish Learning Experience (JLE), a Bergen County-based grassroots, independent Jewish outreach organization, will hold its annual dinner on January 3, 2015, at Temple Beth Shalom in Fair Lawn, NJ. This year, the JLE dinner will honor Ken Goffstein and will feature the music of Pey Dalid.

The mission of JLE is to reacquaint Jewish adults with their religious heritage through classes demonstrating the relevance of the Torah in contemporary times, with experiential programs, Shabbat and High Holiday explanatory services. JLE caters to individual needs, including home hospitality and one-on-one learning. JLE assists families and individuals as they learn to light Shabbat candles, make their homes kosher, or even wear tefillin. Regardless of a participant’s background, he or she becomes part of a dynamic learning group. Since its inception, JLE has touched the lives of more than 3,000 unaffiliated families in Bergen County and beyond.

JLE runs events throughout the year, hosting approximately 250 people for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, 40 people for Sukkos and close to 60 for communal Pesach Seders. Sixty people attended JLE’s Purim megillah reading and 40 attended a festive Purim seudah.

JLE operates with a small staff and a dedicated board of volunteers, and, other than a small grant from the Jewish Federation, depends on its annual dinner to raise funds for its operating budget.

This year’s dinner honoree, Ken Goffstein, moved to Teaneck in 1987 and met Sam Kaplan and Jeff Glazer (who has since made aliyah), two of the JLE founders, right away, as they all davened together at Congregation Beth Aaron. Goffstein became a supporter almost immediately because he has always felt strongly about the importance of Jewish outreach and education.

Raised in St. Louis, MO, Goffstein and his siblings went to a Jewish day school when they were young and then moved on to public school. However, NCSY inspired Ken to maintain a religious lifestyle, and he attended Skokie Yeshiva in Skokie, IL for high school. He also spent two years at Yeshiva Ohr Somayach in Israel, before finishing college with a degree in accounting from Yeshiva University. Ken credits his time at Ohr Somayach in molding his outlook on kiruv (Jewish outreach) and communal commitment.

At Ohr Somayach, Goffstein “learned under the tutelage of Rabbi Mendel Weinbach, who, along with Rabbi Noach Weinberg (also of Aish Ha’Torah), started the yeshiva. I consider these two rabbis as the pioneers of the modern day baal teshuva movement,” said Sam Kaplan. “Rav Mendel, of blessed memory, instilled in Ken that outreach was mandatory when you go back to your local community from the yeshiva.” Kaplan explained that Rav Mendel once gave a famous shiur to the yeshiva boys who were departing back to America entitled, “Have you done enough?” “This shiur emphasized our responsibility when we come back from the yeshiva to help others and give back to others,” said Kaplan.

“Ken has helped the JLE in many ways over the years. This includes home hospitality for Shabbos meals, learning with participants, and [being a] major financial supporter to the organization. But more than anything, he has been a resource for me personally as I needed chizuk (strength) over the last 30 years leading the JLE, and he helped guide me many times,” Kaplan said.

Goffstein resides in Teaneck with his wife, Lena, and their six boys. Ken ran his own mortgage company for several years before joining Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp in 2011 as a senior loan officer. He is also involved with the Jewish Link of Bergen County in a sales development capacity. He is currently a member of Chabad (Teaneck), Congregation Beth Aaron, and Congregation Arzei Darom, where he is a former board member. He is also a former board member of Sinai Institute. Goffstein was also the community liaison for the Bergen County Flag Football League and very instrumental in the initial success of the league. All of his children have participated in local sports leagues and he has served as a Teaneck Soccer, Teaneck Baseball, and Biddy Basketball coach and sponsor.

“I accept this honor for one reason and one reason only: because of my great love, respect, and admiration for Sam Kaplan and the staff at JLE. The work that JLE does on the front lines of the assimilation battle here in Bergen County is extraordinary. The efforts of Sam, Rabbi David Pietruszka, and dozens of others is a testament to their ability to literally change the face of Judaism right here in Bergen County,” said Goffstein.

“Rabbi Pietruszka is a tireless man who works 24/7 to fulfill the goals of JLE. I know the classes he gives are very well attended and successful and his ability to be mikarev (to connect, or bring together) people with his warm personality, is unique,” said Goffstein.

Pietruszka became JLE’s director in 2008 on the recommendation of his high school rebbe, Rabbi Michael Taubes, principal of MTA and rabbi of Teaneck’s Congregation Zichron Mordechai, who served as founding director. Rabbi Steven Prebor and Rabbi Baruch Price also served as JLE directors in intervening years.

Sign up for the JLE January 3rd annual dinner here: http://jle.org/annual-jle-dinner

By Elizabeth Kratz