HONOREES
There is one story that probably says more about our relationship with Shaarey Zedek and this community than all the others. In short, it goes like this: After taking a course in counseling, one of Sara’s first "clients" was Leah, a woman who was 50, infirm and living alone. Sara spent many hours with Leah on a weekly basis. After a year of sessions, Leah passed away. There was no family close by, no funds to bury her and the coroner's office said that she would be cremated in a month if nobody claimed the body. The only hope was a brother that Leah often talked about who lived in Israel. So, to stop the cremation (which Leah never would have wanted), and after a little “detective” work, we finally found her brother in Israel and after recovering from the shock of her death he flew to Los Angeles. With the help of our friends and a big hand from Rabbi Rosenberg and the LA Jewish Federation, Leah finally received a proper and kosher burial, complete with a minyan.
There is much in this story about our family’s relationship with this shul I have called "the synagogue of record for the Valley Orthodox community." The story is not about us. It is about our community. It is all of you. All the members who provided us with the opportunity for growth—Jewishly, spiritually and socially. When Sara and I married 13 years ago she moved here from a very loving, vibrant community in the City. You embraced a blended family and made us feel welcome and special, making our transition seamless. This story is also about a Rabbi who leads this community with integrity, wisdom and love of Torah.
It is about our involvement in classes, lectures, activities, children's groups, Israeli dancing, challah baking, tzedakah, speakers, shul mortgage pay down, home meals to those in need and everything a "family" provides to its members. But most of all, it is about a community that has nurtured us and our family in every way.
It is now coming up on 40 years that I have represented Israel's most outstanding Jewish university, Bar-Ilan. And nearly as many years that Sara has excelled in chinuch in several of the local Jewish schools. We are now opening the book of our lives and beginning a new chapter. Call it the "Teaneck Transfer." It is painful and bittersweet to turn the page. But we are certain that we will never find a place and a time that will equal the cherished friendships, the warmth, the support and the love that the Shaarey Zedek community has given us. It is our home, and we sincerely hope it will always remain that way. Hopefully, we’ve been able to give back a tiny measure of what our shul and this community have provided us.
Thank you to all of you for making this night possible.
Young Leadership Award
Shaarey Zedek has been at the center of the Valley Village Jewish Community since its inception. Throughout the years the community has B’H grown exponentially, connecting the neighborhoods from Victory to Riverside, Woodman to Laurel Canyon and beyond. As more and more families are drawn to our community, we see the boundaries expanding even further. Having moved to Valley Village as a toddler I had the privilege of growing up in one of the most unique communities in the world. I always knew Valley Village was special. Diversity, acceptance, and warmth permeated our lives. Natan will be forever grateful that living in the Valley was a condition in our marriage. Thus we started our married life in Valley Village, and part of the Shaarey Zedek community. At various stages, we have lived in each corner of this amazing community. From Coldwater and Riverside, to Whitsett and Victory, to Bellaire and Magnolia, and now our current home. People would ask, “How can you live so far from shul?” We never felt that we were far, as every corner of this community embraces you as their own. And the magnetic pull of Shaarey Zedek was always strong enough to keep us walking.
We always had a dream though, and after five years of careful planning we made Aliyah and moved our family to the Holy land. We learned many lessons along the way that will forever shape our spiritual and physical lives. In the end, our journey brought us back to Valley Village. Something we love to share is the following: In Israel, we met many families and individuals from various countries and continents, and we noted a common theme. These people came to Israel for unique and personal reasons, but ALL were leaving communities that did not meet their needs. Whether it was unbearable antisemitism, lack of schools, lack of friends, or a lack of diversity; they were all coming to Israel in search of something different and better. Our motivation however, was vastly different in this regard. We loved the community we were coming from. We loved our family, our shuls, our schools, our friends, and our home. The only thing missing, was living in the land given to us by Hashem, and that reason alone compelled us to leave a place we truly loved. We were essentially looking for a Valley Village & Shaarey Zedek in Eretz Hakodesh. Ultimately, Hashem so clearly guided us back here to Valley Village and Shaarey Zedek in order for us to reach our potentials. With the help of our community and Rebbeim, we are hopefully working towards accomplishing just that.
One of our favorite things to see in this community is the achdut and support. Seeing heads of school at other schools’ events. Seeing the Rabbis of one shul attending events in support of another shul. This is what Judaism is about. Recognizing the importance of all walks, sects, and philosophies of Judaism and being able to support one another, while staying true to our own individual ways and minhagim. Thank you Shaarey Zedek for being a center for this amazing community. May we all continue to grow closer to Hashem, continue to provide a bedrock in which our children can thrive, and IY’H bring Mashiach quickly and in our time.