It is the privilege of my life to serve as rabbi of the Jewish Center of Teaneck. It is also my honor to serve as vice president of the Rabbinical Council of Bergen County for community relations. Yet, as much as I cherish and revere both of these institutions, I write here as an individual, representing my own point of view alone.

I remember the very first time I met Councilwoman Karen Lew Orgen, shortly after she was elected. It was a frigid winter morning, and the Fire Department, which I am privileged to serve as chaplain, was inaugurating new engines twenty three and twenty four. I was present for this important civic occasion with my then 3 year old son, to celebrate a critical advance in our town’s capacity to respond to emergencies that might threaten any resident of this town.

In retrospect, it was fitting that we should meet at this kind of event, because the first thing any Teaneck resident should know about Karen Lew Orgen is how seriously she takes their well-being and safety, lessons I would come to learn intimately over these last four years.

During this entire period, Karen was literally the right hand to our beloved Town Manager Dean Kazinci, looking out for each and everyone of us. There is no one on council who did more of the vital work advancing life saving services, from law enforcement, fire, emergency response, to the department of public works, than Karen. This, of course, was just a continuation of what Karen had done for decades in her private life, as a volunteer responder for medical emergencies.

Karen Orgen was there, in those early months of 2021, as a newly elected councilwoman, to ensure that all of the senior citizens in town got their vaccines. It’s a sense of responsibility she comes by honestly, as the immensely proud daughter of Harriet and the late David Lew, a’h, who were so instrumental to building up the Jewish community in Teaneck.

In better times, Karen was there, walking every single foot of park and playground in Teaneck, so that my now 7 year old son could fall in love with both the game of baseball, as well as his teammates from every walk of life in this town, just like his father did over 30 years ago, but on nicer fields. Some of my most joyous moments come at the little league field, and I’m filled with such appreciation that my family can wear the Teaneck blue with pride, thanks to Karen’s hard work.

This past summer, when it came time for Dean to say goodbye, it was Karen who made sure that we got the very best replacement, Jaclyn “Jackie” Hashmat. As she has said many times, Jackie herself wasn’t sure, as a working mother, that she should take on the immense responsibilities that come with managing a town of 43,000 people.

What made the difference for her, and ultimately, for all of us, was a phone call from Karen, one working mother to another, reassuring her that she was fully capable of finding that right balance.

Like virtually every working mother I know, Karen is too busy getting things done to toot her own horn about it. She’s making the extra phone call that will get results and make a difference. There are plenty of people who get interested in politics because they want to be someone. Karen is interested in public service because she prefers to help someone.

But, there’s something else I thought was important to share about Karen. As every member of the Jewish community in Teaneck knows well, our community has been subjected to a campaign of harassment since October 7, not because of anything we did, but because of who we are. And sadly, it’s nowhere near over yet. Even as I write these words I am getting constant texts and messages about more harassment planned for this very weekend.

For months on end, each Sunday brought it with it a different hate rally. On three separate occasions the hatred came to our shuls. I spent each Saturday night during this period, from the moment Shabbos ended, until the wee hours of the morning, on the phone with town management, law enforcement, county law enforcement, state authorities, and, with great appreciation to Congressman Gottheimer for his unwavering support, federal authorities.

But, week in and week out, it was Karen who was my first and last phone call. It was Karen who never went to sleep before we knew exactly what the plan was for the next day. When we faced the very real threat of a tense situation escalating into violence, Karen was a rock of stability for our community. Karen was always making the extra phone call to government, to law enforcement, to make sure you and your family were safe.

As challenging as the last year has been, I literally cannot imagine what it might have looked like without Karen Lew Orgen. In our community’s most difficult hour, Karen was at her finest. There are no words to express my personal debt of gratitude, and our community’s gratitude, to her over this past year.

In normal times, we all benefit greatly, as my family has, from Karen’s service. In the far from normal times in which we have been living, Karen’s service means something greater still.

It means safety, security and stability.

It means having the most tireless advocate for your family’s well being, who will stay up the extra hour, and make the extra phone call.

It means having the peace of mind of knowing exactly for whom and for what you are casting your vote.

No one has done more than Karen Lew Orgen to earn your vote. And, in four years, there is no one who you will feel better having voted for than Karen.

Rabbi Daniel Fridman is the rabbi of the Jewish Center of Teaneck.