Coronavirus Update: Please consult ckj.org for current info. 8

Keter AWARDEES

This Shavuot Debra Frohlinger and Rebecca Feit to Receive Eighteenth Annual Judith Kaufman Hurwich Keter Torah Award

The Officers and Executive Committee of the Congregation are pleased to announce that the Eighteenth Annual Judith Kaufman Hurwich Keter Torah Award will be presented to Debra Frohlinger and Rebecca Feit on the second day of Shavuot, on morning, May 30, 2020. The practice of conferring such an award is to appropriately recognize women in our congregation on the holiday when we celebrate the lives of two great Jewish heroines, Naomi and Ruth. It offers us an opportunity, as part of a religious ceremony, to express our appreciation for the services rendered to our community by women.

The award is named in memory of Judith Kaufman Hurwich, daughter of Rita and Benjamin Kaufman, of blessed memory, mother of our members - yibadlu l’chaim tovim - Meryl Jaffe and Adam Hurwich, and grandmother of three former Ramaz students: Talia, Leah, and Zev Hurwich. Her family continues her tradition of association with KJ and Ramaz in fostering opportunities for women to study Torah.

could have been daunting a journey group of fellow congregants, KJ has DEBRA FROHLINGER filled with inspiration, growth and deep a very active and dynamic Debra and friendships. As a very active member group that services all Jewish singles. and participant of the Beginners/ Barry began Creating the Shabbat Greeting Intermediate Programs, Debra found a journey Program with Rabbi Steinmetz was her calling by supporting men and 24 years Debra’s way to extend and demonstrate women who are on a similar journey ago when KJ’s warmth and friendliness every to the one she had taken. Her passion their twins, Shabbat to both our congregants for Jewish learning has made her Natalie and an active learner at KJ, enabling her as well as to visitors. Her presence Joshua, were to inspire and encourage beginners in the synagogue lobby on many born. Once-a-year shul goers, with to be bold about taking on Jewish Shabbatot means that guests and no day school background of their learning, often accompanying them regulars alike are welcomed with own, they chose the road to build to classes. The rewards have been a smile and helpful navigational a Jewish foundation, education enormous, especially when she shares guidance when they enter KJ. and community for their family. the joy of seeing their children being With affection and a deep sense of When Natalie and Joshua raised in a strong Jewish home right gratitude, Debra and Barry thank were admitted to Ramaz for here in our amazing KJ community. the KJ community for its inspiration, kindergarten; Debra and Barry learning opportunities and guidance moved uptown and joined KJ. She was a founding member of the KJ Shidduch group (ahava@KJ), for providing a religious and spiritual The extraordinary generosity initially to help singles successfully home and framework enabling Debra and warmth of the KJ Rabbis and navigate in the Modern Orthodox to also have a successful career congregational family made what world - and now with an amazing and work life in advertising.

Keter Torah Awardees // KEHILATH JESHURUN BULLETIN Coronavirus Update: Please consult ckj.org for current info. 9

Keter Torah AWARDEES

impart the importance of to and Rami’s children are learning the REBECCA FEIT her children and the children of KJ, importance of this cause. For their When she began co-chairing UJA @KJ. daughter Gabrielle’s Bat , Rebecca traveled to Ethiopia with her Rebecca and Rebecca is a member of the KJ to assist the Jewish community. Upon her husband, Board of Trustees, where she their return, Gabrielle wrote an article Rami Sasson, has been actively involved in the for Tablet Magazine advocating on joined the KJ Youth Committee and is dedicated behalf of the community. At their son community to making the shul a place where as a young children develop positive feelings for Jack’s recent Bar Mitzvah in , couple with Shabbat and Torah values through the family held a special Bar Mitzvah two small children, they were fun and inventive programming. celebration along with Ethiopian looking for more than just a shul. She also serves on the Cemetery olim complete with traditional They knew they wanted a place Committee, helping to ensure that Hebrew and Ethiopian dancing. where their growing family could proper respect is given to community Closer to home, Rebecca is an active develop religiously and socially members when they are niftar. board member of the Metropolitan and be inspired by the leadership Rebecca’s commitment to community Council on Jewish Poverty. With 75 and community members. They and chesed was instilled in her kosher food pantries, Met Council also understood that being a through the examples set by her fights poverty through social services part of the KJ community meant parents, grandparents, siblings and and advocacy. Before agreeing to active participation in the shul. other family members. Chesed was become a board member, Rebecca Rebecca immediately checked as never something that you “did,” went to see some of the people many boxes as she could on the it was part of who you were. Her and neighborhoods assisted by “What would like to be involved in?” grandfather was a founding member Met Council. Once exposed to the section of the membership form. of the chevra kadisha in Flatbush; hunger and poverty just minutes Everything appealed to her — from her grandmothers and mother were from her comfortable Upper East the most private of chesed activities leaders of Amit and Emunah; and Side home, she knew that she must to shul-wide programming. her father was active in the Soviet involved and so she joined the and Ethiopian Jewry movements. board. She has also recently joined Over the years, Rebecca has the board of Legacy Heritage Fund. volunteered or been asked to assist Through her father’s involvement, in various shul causes. Soon after Rebecca and her siblings have become Rebecca and Rami are thankful to the joining KJ, she received a call from advocates for Ethiopian in KJ community for the opportunities Rabbi Lookstein after she had Ethiopia where thousands of Jews it has given their family for declined a request to co-chair the living in poverty are waiting to make community involvement and chesed, shul dinner’s raffles. That’s when she Aliyah. Rebecca is a board member and for forming the framework for knew she was in this community for of the Struggle to Save Ethiopian instilling Torah values and religious the long haul. Soon after, wanting to Jewry (SSEJ). All three of Rebecca’s growth to their children.

We honor these extraordinary women for their service to our community and to the Jewish People in general. We pray that God reward them with many years of health and happiness and with much nachas from their children. May they continue to serve as stellar examples of Jewish commitment and service to this entire community, which loves them and blesses them.

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