On the first day of 2018, while fighting bone-chilling temperatures, Noah Bender (aka the PizzaBender) added to the warmth in Bergenfield by baking almost 50 pizzas in his outdoor gas-fired, stone-base pizza ovens. The PizzaBender was out there in the cold as a fundraiser for the Bais Medrash of Bergenfield (BMOB) youth department. The pizza was artisanal, with homemade dough and sauce (perfected by years of experimentation). The event was coordinated by the PizzaBender and Chef Aharon Schultz, along with help from the Pietruska brothers.

One pizza enthusiast shared, “You guys should open up a store,” and “My parents can’t stop raving about it three hours later.” Others on social media offered glowing reports: “It was delicious,” “Amazing job, thank you, Noah and Aharon” and “Fantastic, but I wouldn’t expect anything else!”

BMOB’s Youth Director Rabbi Pietruska said, “It was a wonderful event that surpassed expectations and hopefully we can do it again in the spring.”

The PizzaBender commented, “People enjoy good food and donating to a worthy cause. My pizza making started as a family hobby, but has taken on a life of its own. I hope we can repeat this event on a larger scale in the future.”

The funds raised will be used by the rapidly growing youth department of the BMOB to offer additional programming. This, and other activities, support the BMOB’s special warmth and welcoming feeling.

The event raised roughly $700 for the BMOB youth department.