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YOUNG ISRAEL BETH EL OF BOROUGH PARK 30TH ANNIVERSARY DINNER November 4, 2018 In the YIBE Social Hall CELEBRATING OUR PAST – CHARTING THE FUTURE 2 Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park 30th Anniversary Dinner November 4, 2018 3 Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park 30th Anniversary Dinner November 4, 2018 4 FROM THE DINNER CHAIR On the 13 day of Kislev, 5750, December 10, 1989, I attended my first annual dinner at Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park. It was a month since my arrival in the US and it just happened to be the first dinner since the merger between Young Israel and Beth El. Twenty-nine years later I was appointed as the Dinner Chairman. It is truly an honor and a privilege, but also a responsibility to make the event successful. It has been a few years since our last Shul Dinner. For years, Mr. Martin Fruchter A”H and Mr. Karl Weisstuch A"H organized the annual dinners very successfully. I am humbled to follow in their footsteps. I hope that the renewal of the dinner campaign will restart this important and essential function as it is a main fundraiser for our Shul. It will help us continue our beautiful services and inspired Torah classes, provided by tonight’s guests of Honor, Rabbi Moshe and Rebbetzin Snow, and Chazzan and Mrs. Benzion Miller. Ours is a true Bait Mikdash Kattan, one that will celebrate 100 years in 2020. I hope that by that time we and our Shul will all be transplanted in Yerushalayim with the coming of Moshiach, In the meantime, let’s turn Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park into the Great במהרה בימנו Synagogue of Brooklyn. Finally, I would like to thank the members of the Dinner Committee for their efforts in our campaign, including our honoree Mordechai (Mark) Rottenstein. They deserve an enormous Hakarat Hatov. -Ilan Rubin Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park 30th Anniversary Dinner November 4, 2018 5 THE HONOREES: RABBI MOSHE & REBBETZIN SYMA SNOW בס"ד לעולם Fifty years sounds like a long time. In fact the Torah word means forever and also refers to the Yovel which is fifty years. In Shemos 21;6, when talking about the length of time a servant is which literally means ‘he shall serveועבדו לעולם :indentured it says forever’ but actually refers to the fact that he only has to work at that I could never have foreseen I did indeed become one. And the maximum fifty years until the Yovel, jubilee year. just as my vocation was hidden from me, so were all the myriad blessings that have come my way because of this wonderful In Shemos 3;15, when Hashem is talking to Moshe at the burning which here means not only that “this position. The outstanding people I have had the privilege to ,”זה שמי לעולם”,bush, He says .means meet, work with and learn from have enriched my life עלם is my name forever,” but as Rashi points out the word hidden. Hashem’s name is hidden from us. We spell it one way but pronounce it another because the full name of Hashem is Yasher Koach to the leadership and members of the Young hidden from us and was only pronounced in the Bais Hamikdash. Israel Beth El of Borough Park for all their confidence and support over these many years. Thank you for this Honor. The Kavod you .Combining two of the have given me is yours ”.עולם“ The Torah word for “world” is also meanings of this very enigmatic word gives us the idea that our world is hidden from us. None of us really knows what is in store I have strong feelings of Hakoras Hatov to the Ribono Shel Olam for us. Even when we are quite young, and planning a career, for guiding me in the path that has enabled me to share and we do not know what kinds of twists and turns that chosen career path will take us on. In fact, at times we may find that a teach His Torah. In truth, all my efforts on behalf of the Klal, both totally different career than the one we planned on is where we in my service as a Mesivta Rebbe at the Jewish Educational end up. Hashem has chosen that path for us, and had it hidden. Center of Elizabeth, and my tenure as the Youth Director and later Menahel Ruchani and then Rav of Young Israel Beth El of If someone would have said to me when I was still seeking my Borough Park, are attributed to my devoted Rebbetzin. To echo path in life, “you’re going to be a Rabbi,” I would have seriously the words of Rabbi Akiva , “All my Torah, and all my students questioned that person’s sanity. But through a series of events Torah, is hers.” May we be Zocheh to gather together at the greatest celebration of all time, when we dance to greet the Moshiach, speedily and in our time. Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park 30th Anniversary Dinner November 4, 2018 6 FROM THE HONOREES: CHAZZAN & MRS. BENZION MILLER Dear Congregants and Guests, It is with the greatest gratitude to Hashem the Almighty and to you all that this 30th anniversary dinner is taking place today. We would like to thank the entire dinner committee for having chosen us to share this great honor with Rabbi and Rebbitzen Moshe Snow, with whom we have closely shared the shul functions since the year 2000. We look forward to many more years of productive service to the community at large together. I will sing to) אשירה לד' בחיי,אזמרה לאלקי בעודי, As is written in the book of Psalms 104 Hashem while I live, I will sing praises to my G-D while I endure). For as long as Hashem A shul מקדש מעט. will grant me the ability, I plan to continue serving this magnificent that has no equal, both in beauty and service. We thank you all for your support and attendance. Best wishes, Chazzan Benzion and Blimi Miller Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park 30th Anniversary Dinner November 4, 2018 7 THE HAKORAS HATOV AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO YIBE MORDECHAI (MARK) ROTTENSTEIN From the beginning of my Jewish education at Yeshiva Etz Chaim through Mirrer Yeshiva, I never dreamt that I would be bestowed with such an honor as this year’s Hakoros Hatov Award. My Torah learning today, and hopefully through the days of the Meshiach שליט"א is from our esteemed Rabbi, Rav Moshe Snow ,במהרה בימנו whom I have had the privilege of knowing since the days of the old Young Israel of Borough Park on 50th Street. Together with our world renowned Chazzan Ben Zion Miller we will be enhancing this soon- to-be-centennial shul for many years to come. .to the Dinner Honorees יישר כוחכם - Mordechai (Mark) Rottenstein Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park 30th Anniversary Dinner November 4, 2018 WHO WE ARE8 Current Officers & Board Dinner Committee President Judd Odzer Alex Friedman David Beck Linda Friedman Chairman of the Board David Beck Linda Friedman Yokhai Givon Felicia Hershkowitz Vice President Mark Rottenstein Corinne Greenberg Judd Odzer Financial Secretary Neil Feinstein Kalman Greenberg Mark Rottenstein Ruth Stillman Recording Secretary Heshy Friedman Julius Mazurek Sarky Metzger Ilan Rubin (Chair) Meyer Roth Steven Roth Young Israel Beth El of Borough Park 30th Anniversary Dinner November 4, 2018 9 FROM THE PRESIDENT – JUDD ODZER We have come together to celebrate two great milestones - Fifty years of service for Rabbi Moshe Snow and thirty six years for Chazzan Benzion Miller. Of course, both backed by equally dedicated spouses. We all come to Shul and expect both Klei Kodesh to be like the lights or the heat, always available at the flick of a switch, without any idea of how much work goes into making sure the Shul continues to function. For over fifty years Rabbi Snow has seen to it that all the minyanim continue to function, that halachic shailos get answered, that mispallilim get along, that there are a multitude of shiurim available, that weddings, Bar Mitzvahs, funerals and other religious ceremonies are done k'daas uk'din. He has worked to make the Shul a place for all to feel comfortable attending, so they can get closer to Hashem. All of this with an overarching goal of bringing achdus to Klal Yisroel while trying to make the world a better place and maintaining the Kedusha of our Mikdash Me'at. For over thirty six years at Young Israel Beth-El, Chazzan Miller has managed to inspire thousands of people as a world renowned leader of tefilos - incorporating a deep understanding of not only the literal meaning of the words but the subtle nuances, encapsulated in his heartfelt expression. His mastery of nusach and dikduk has added an immeasurable dimension to the Shul's davening. His knowledge of chazzanus, music and nigunim have transformed piyutim into extraordinary tefillos that reach the inner depths of the soul. Human nature is to take for granted that which becomes routine, that which becomes expected. I want to take this time to recognize the great dedication that Rabbi and Rebbetzin Snow have shown to our Shul and community for over fifty years and to Chazzan and Mrs. Miller for over thirty six years of service. On behalf of the board of directors and the entire congregation I would like to give a huge Mazel Tov and Yasher Koach. We appreciate all that you do.