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Guests of Honor Max and Magda Sternbach Midor L'Dor Community Service Award Tzippy and Ari Gellman Mirlana and Aryeh Morris
Guests of Honor - Tzippy and Ari Gellman
Tzippy and Ari have been actively involved with our shul since they moved to Bergenfield 15 years ago. They have devoted so much of themselves to tending to the needs of our kehilla, always with an eye to making it a more welcoming and inviting one.
Tzippy has been a member of the Sisterhood for numerous years and has organized and run many events including the Shul BBQ, Meet the Members, Israeli dance with Jodi Senter and the Shul Carnival. She is actively involved with both RYNJ and TABC, and as an occupational therapist has helped many of the children in our community.
Ari has been an active leader within the shul, serving twice as Journal Chair for the dinner, as a Board Member for 3 years, 2nd Vice President for 2 years and of course, as President for 2 years. During his term as 2nd Vice President, Ari - along with our Youth director, Aryeh Morris - was instrumental in implementing a number of initiatives to enhance our youth program such as the ticket reward program, youth leader training, more formalized scheduling, and refurbishing the Youth Center with the assistance and generosity of the Sisterhood. As President, Ari spearheaded our Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, embarked on a "Bedek Habayit" program to enhance the physical beauty of the shul and pushed for greater effort and focus on welcoming new members into the Beth Abraham family. Ari is also actively involved with our local schools, serving as a member of the board for RYNJ and TABC.
Together, Tzippy and Ari have opened their home on numerous occasions and have hosted new member kiddushim and Melave Malkas, modelling for us all how one family can substantially strengthen the bonds of friendship and community. They are the proud parents of Avraham, Shlomo, Paya and Yoel, and together as a family, they have given so much of themselves in support of our shul. This well-deserved honor is merely a small token of the deep appreciation we truly have for all that they have done and continue to do on our behalf.
Max and Magda Sternbach Midor L'Dor Community Service Award
Mirlana and Aryeh Morris
Since moving to Bergenfield 13 years ago, Mirlana and Aryeh Morris have dedicated an immeasurable amount of time and energy to our Kehilla and shul in general, and our youth specifically.
Mirlana, with her work at Care-One and its affiliate Ascend Home Health Care, has assisted and facilitated members of our community during their stay at Care-One facilities and has coordinated their home health services as they continued to recover in their own homes. She gives of her valuable time as a member of the Chevra Kadisha, as a driver for Tomchei Shabbos, and has recently been a successful member of the Capital Campaign Committee.
Aryeh has been the Youth Director of our shul for the past 10 years. In that role, he has helped nurture the growth of hundreds of our collective children. He has created, led, and overseen countless events and programs designed to enhance the shul and communal experience of our children. He has trained and cultivated our youth leaders and has made the shul a welcome and inviting place for all our youth. All that in itself is a monumental task requiring immense time, yet Aryeh has also dedicated his services to our shul in other ways including serving on the Youth, Yamim Noraim Changeover, Arba Minim and Simchas Torah Tallis Committees. He is a Baal Tokeah who has blown shofar for home-bound individuals and he has lent his technical skills to assist with software programs when needed.
Mirlana and Aryeh are the proud parents of Donny, Akiva, and Gabriella, who should also be thanked for sharing their father with us all these years. Aryeh has announced his retirement as Youth Director effective at the end of the summer. Both Aryeh and Mirlana exemplify the selflessness and sense of community with which Max and Magda lived their lives and they are truly befitting recipients of this award.