6 , RABBI MAYER MOSKOWITZ, AND LIONEL ETRA KEHILATH JESHURUN BULLETIN Rabbi Haskel Lookstein, Rabbi Mayer Moskowitz, and Lionel Etra

CHOSEN FOR HONORS ON SHEMINI ATZERET AND SIMCHAT TORAH

HE OFFICERS OF THE CONGREGATION ARE PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT RABBI HASKEL LOOKSTEIN, RABBI TMAYER MOSKOWITZ, AND LIONEL ETRA, OUR RABBI EMERITUS AND TWO DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE CONGREGATION, HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR THE HIGHEST TORAH HONORS OF THE YEAR. THEIR INSTALLATION WILL TAKE PLACE BEFORE THE MUSAF SERVICE ON SHEMINI ATZERET, MONDAY, OCTOBER 1ST.

City Human Rights Commission. Lookstein’s public support of is not only a passion, but simply a way of life. Rabbi Lookstein, a graduate of (’49), received his B.A. from Even closer to home, no family life cycle Columbia College, and earned his event in the KJ community has ever Master’s Degree in Medieval Jewish been complete without Rabbi Lookstein. History and his PhD in Modern Jewish He has shared the happiest and the History from the saddest of times with generations of Graduate School of . families, dancing and crying – offering He was ordained by Rabbi Joseph B. just the right words for the occasion. In Soloveitchik and Dr. as July 2011, when the community stood a graduate of the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan in front of our beloved as it Theological Seminary in 1958. ZDVHQJXOIHGLQƽDPHV5DEEL/RRNVWHLQŮV sadness was unmistakable. He took

RABBI HASKEL LOOKSTEIN The Rabbi’s doctoral dissertation was a day to take in the enormity of our published in 1985 under the title Were loss and then got to work, rallying the We Our Brothers’ Keepers: The Public WURRSVORRNLQJWRWKHIXWXUHƼQGLQJ :KDWPRUHƼWWLQJZD\WRUHFRJQL]HWKH Response of American Jews to the opportunity in the ashes. sixty years that Rabbi Haskel Lookstein Holocaust 1938-1944. His biography, has spent in the KJ pulpit than to bestow authored by Dr. Raphael Medoff, is Rabbi Lookstein also has an abiding upon him the honor of being the Chatan titled Rav Chesed, and captures the love of -- and derives unmistakable joy Torah this Simchat Torah? Our beloved many roles Rabbi Lookstein has played from -- davening for the amud, Rabbi, now Emeritus, has been the Rabbi in his 60 years as Rabbi of KJ. for which he credits Mr. Joseph of Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun Adler and his father, Rabbi Joseph since 1958 and Principal of the Ramaz These are the facts of Rabbi Lookstein’s H. Lookstein, of blessed memory. In School since 1966. He is the Joseph H. life and professional career. What is 2012 Rabbi Lookstein presented a full Lookstein Professor of Homiletics at particularly notable, however, and DXGLRUHVRXUFHRIDOOWKHWHƼOORWZLWK Yeshiva University where he has been GRHVQŮWQHFHVVDULO\ƼQGDSODFHLQKLV instructions for pronunciation and teaching since 1979. He also serves as a standard bio, is Rabbi Lookstein’s political phraseology, as well as his own special Vice President of the Beth Din of America. activism on behalf of Jews, notable and emphasis and interpretation of certain anonymous, all over the world. Many words, to enable anyone to learn how Rabbi Lookstein has served as Presi- trips to the former Soviet Union, rallies to be a shaliach tzibbur. This wonderful dent of the Board of , for , going toe to toe resource can be found on the Ramaz Chairman of the National Rabbinic with the extremism that has at times website at Ramaz.org/nusach. Cabinet of UJA, and President of the FKDUDFWHUL]HGWKHRIƼFHDQGSROLFLHV Synagogue Council of America. He also of the Chief Rabbinate of , Rabbi Married to Audrey in 1959, the was a Commissioner of the New York 7 continued, RABBI HASKEL LOOKSTEIN, RABBI MAYER MOSKOWITZ, AND LIONEL ETRA KEHILATH JESHURUN BULLETIN

Looksteins are blessed with eight Rabbi Moskowitz devoted his life to children and children-in-law, sixteen , both in formal and Rabbi Moskowitz is the author of two grandchildren (and four grandchildren- informal settings. He considers it a ERRNV7KHƼUVWLVDFROOHFWLRQRIKLVHVVD\V in-law) and four great-grandchildren. In privilege to have educated thousands and poetry, “A Memoir of Sanctity” his non-professional life, Rabbi Lookstein of students at Yeshivat Etz Chaim in published in both Hebrew and English. is a rabid rooter for the Mets, Giants, Borough Park, Herziliah Hebrew Teach- The second book is a recently published Knicks and Rangers, in addition to ers College, and Ramaz. children’s book, “I Have a Friend,” also being an avid tennis player. It is truly a available in Hebrew and English. He is nachas moment for KJ to honor their At Ramaz, he served as an Upper School presently working on a book of his poetry. beloved Rabbi with the singular honor teacher, Guidance Counselor, Director of Chatan Torah. of Hebrew Dramatics, Educational Rabbi Moskowitz and his wife, Barbara, Director and Chairman of the Bible are the proud parents of seven children, Department. He was later appointed one having graduated from the Ramaz Headmaster of the Ramaz Lower Upper School and another having School where, among his other taught at the Ramaz Upper School. responsibilities, he introduced innovative They have twenty-one grandchildren, programs for students, teachers, and two having graduated from the Ramaz parents. Each week he taught a class Upper School, and twenty great-grand- for both secular and Judaic studies children. Seven grandchildren and teachers on Parshat Ha’Shavua as well seven great-grandchildren live in Israel. as a Learn-In for parents. During his tenure as Head of the Lower School In retirement, Rabbi Moskowitz he taught a Lunch and Learn series at continues to learn with his dear friends KJ. This past year he has continued and colleagues, Rabbi Yehoshua Bakst this tradition by teaching a course in and Rabbi David Eliach, as well as with for the young at heart. former students, friends and great grandchildren in preparation for their On two occasions, Rabbi Moskowitz led Bar/Bat Mitzvot. RABBI MAYER MOSKOWITZ a group of Ramaz seniors on a mission to the former Soviet Union, as well as Rabbi Mayer Moskowitz, our Chatan participating as a survivor and educator Bereishit, has been a dynamic and on the March of the Living with Ramaz passionate teacher and role model for seniors. students at Ramaz as well as for adults and families in the KJ community. Rabbi Moskowitz served in many capacities at Camp Massad - gardener, Rabbi Moskowitz is a child survivor of counselor, head of Machon and Director the concentration camp Transniastra in of Massad Aleph and Bet. He strongly the Ukraine. He came from a lineage of believes in the power of Jewish Camping. great Chassidic masters and is the son It was at Massad that he met Rabbi of Rabbi Avraham Chaim Moskowitz of Haskel Lookstein, who then introduced Czernowitz, Romania. He came to him to his father, Rabbi . Palestine illegally on a ship carrying 750 7KLVZDVWKHEHJLQQLQJRIDƼIW\WKUHH orphans under the leadership of Aliyat year love affair with Ramaz and KJ. Hanoar. He graduated from Mikveh Yisrael, an agricultural high school. After Rabbi Moskowitz has been an inte- LIONEL ETRA discovering his mother had also survived gral part of the KJ community. Rabbi the Holocaust, he came to New York to Joseph Lookstein asked him to be the Chatan Maftir Lionel Etra has been join her. He graduated from Herzeliah %DDO7HƼOODKIRUWKHDX[LOLDU\VHUYLFHRQ linked to Ramaz and KJ from early Hebrew College and received Semicha the High Holy Days at KJ. He served in childhood, the connection with KJ having from Tifereth Yerushalayim under the this capacity for many years creating a been initiated by his great grandfather, leadership of Ha’Rav Moshe Feinstein. special Kehillah of daveners. Aaron Etra, almost a century ago. His 8 continued, RABBI HASKEL LOOKSTEIN, RABBI MAYER MOSKOWITZ, AND LIONEL ETRA KEHILATH JESHURUN BULLETIN

SDUHQWV0D[-DQG5HEDZHUHDIƼOLDWHG with KJ and Ramaz since 1948 (Reba is COMMUNITY NEWS still a proud member), and Lionel and his brothers, William and Richard, attended Ramaz from the earliest grade through high school. kj welcomes...

Lionel has been a committed congregant through his regular worship and generous ASSISTANT Rabbi Meyer Laniado contributions, always appearing at the Rabbi Laniado has served as a Rabbi in the very start of our Shabbat and holiday Sephardic community for four years as an Associate services and leading the Pizukei d’Zimrah Rabbi at Congregation Magen David of West Deal and for more than 20 years. as a Rabbi at Hillel Yeshiva Middle and High School. He received semicha from Yeshiva University – Lionel’s ties to KJ were reinforced by RIETS and the Sephardic Bet Din of . his close bond to his late father with whom he walked to Shul (and whose He holds a B.S. in from Yeshiva seat he now occupies) and his friendship University – Sy and has a Masters in Talmudic Studies with Rabbis Joseph and Haskel from Yeshiva University – Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies. Lookstein. Rabbi Haskel was his Bar Rabbi Laniado is married to the former Talia Ovadia, a graphic designer – and Mitzvah teacher and camp counselor WKH\MXVWZHOFRPHGWKHLUƼUVWFKLOGDGDXJKWHU$GLQD:HDUHGHOLJKWHGWR and taught him almost everything he welcome the Laniados to the KJ community. knows about reading the Torah and Megillot and so much more.

After Ramaz, Lionel graduated from Leead Staller Columbia College and Harvard Law Our Rabbinic Intern for 2018-2019, Leead Staller is School. He has practiced law for a third year student at RIETS and a graduate of the DSSUR[LPDWHO\ƼIW\\HDUVWKHODVW University of with degrees in both IRUW\RQHRIZKLFKZLWKWKHƼUPRI History and Philosophy. At Penn, Leead focused Roberts & Holland LLP where he is Of Counsel and, in addition, he has on research projects, writing a history thesis on engaged in a number of investment British Christian Hebraism and a philosophy thesis activities. on the epistemological value of evolutionary psychology. Prior to college, he studied for two years at Yeshivat Har Etzion in Israel When not worshipping or and goes back for regular visits. He is also a Wexner Graduate Fellow, a loyal reader of working, Lionel pursues long-established The New Yorker, and is an avid fan of music of all genres, ranging from Dvorak to Kanye. routines and hobbies, including his interests in photography, classical music, and reading (mostly, but not entirely, QRQƼFWLRQ /LRQHOH[HUFLVHVGDLO\ Freddie Rodriguez relishing his Central Park run and the We are delighted to welcome KJ and Lower opportunity to draw inspiration from School Building Superintendent Freddie the bucolic gem in the heart of our Rodriguez. Freddie comes to us with a great bustling metropolis. He is, in every deal of building management experience and sense, a Renaissance Man with a extensive knowledge of what it takes to run a multiplicity of spiritual and intellectual interests – and we are delighted that EXLOGLQJOLNHRXUVHIƼFLHQWO\,QWKHVKRUWWLPH Lionel Etra is our Chatan Maftir. he has been with us, Freddie has demonstrated his commitment in the long hours he spends here making sure everything is working smoothly. He is proactive, looked up to by his loyal crew, and manifests a “can do” attitude even in the face of adversity.