Messages
Paul Resnick, Rabbi
Harold Kislik, President
Cheryl Karp, Early Childhood Director
Beverly Wachtel & Barbara Kaplan, Sisterhood Co-Presidents
Rebecca Osder, Youth & Family Engagement Coordinator
Harold Kislik, President
Cheryl Karp, Early Childhood Director
Beverly Wachtel & Barbara Kaplan, Sisterhood Co-Presidents
Rebecca Osder, Youth & Family Engagement Coordinator
Dear HERJC Community,
As Jews, marking time is very important to us. We mark it for special occasions as noted from Biblical times. This includes Shabbat and chagim and services prayed at set times on a daily and weekly basis.In synagogues across the United States, we mark the end of the busy time of the calendar with a dinner dance and/or a gala. This year, thanks to the efforts of a creative and hard-working committee, we are able to celebrate and mark this time, and do so in a way that is inviting to each and every member of HERJC either here in the parking lot or wherever you may be on ZOOM!
Even before I started my tenure here, Hazzan Bonnie and Moshe Zakarin were welcoming. Moshe is the ultimate greeter at our B’nai Mitzvah and does everything with a smile and honesty, which is very encouraging and genuine. Hazzan Zakarin, serving in two roles capably, and with creativity and dedication, has been a wonderful partner, sharing not only her voice, but her insights into the community. She is a great colleague on our clergy team!
Lisa Cohen is a long-term member of HERJC. She has served on many committees, and is a familiar face at minyan. She has participated in Sisterhood Shabbatot and chanted the Haftorah for Shabbat Shekalim. She also supports many projects behind the scenes. And she is a good sounding board! I hope we get to meet in person!
Laura Underweiser does not seem to be an emerging leader, but rather, just a leader! She capably co-chairs the Religious School Committee and cares deeply about its success. It has been great to get to know her and also share, in person, in Julia’s Bat Mitzvah.
I have never met Joan and Jimmy Berkowitz, but their names and fame preceded them. Kesher means connection, and their connection with our congregation has been unwavering. Their support of HERJC spans many years, and has continued even from afar. Their loyalty and generosity are impactful and appreciated and I wish that I had been at HERJC sooner, so that we could have connected!
Mazal Tov to all of our well-deserving honorees.
Rabbi Paul Resnick
For many of us, the Gala will be the first time attending an event at HERJC in person in well over a year. I hesitate to make predictions almost two months in advance, but I am looking forward to sharing in our celebration and to seeing co-congregants I have missed for months.Through the efforts of many, HERJC has endured and met some difficult challenges this past year. Thankfully, our Gala honorees, among many others, have risen to the task. Congratulations to you all!
Hazzan Bonnie and Moshe Zakarin, in a relatively short time, have become an integral part of our congregational family, as professionals and as friends. There has been so much they have done to contribute to our enjoyment of services, to planning and producing an incredible High Holiday experience, especially this past year, to stepping in to run our Religious School, just to name a few. We are truly grateful, and we look forward to many years of partnership and friendship.
Lisa– Whatever task or project that is presented to her, Lisa is always available and motivated to jump in. Often behind the scenes, without taking credit, her generosity and commitment to HERJC is invaluable.
Where would we be without future leadership? Laura Underweiser has demonstrated her care and concern for our congregation, co-chairing our school board and as a member of HERJC’s Board of Directors. We know she will continue to provide guidance and support as we meet the challenges to come.
Support comes in many forms in a congregation. We are eternally grateful to Joan and Jimmy Berkowitz for their steadfast and generous support over many, many years, even while living out of the area. It means so much to us all.
Congratulations to all our honorees; your honor is so well deserved!
Harold
It is with great pleasure and admiration that I offer a hearty Mazel Tov to Hazzan and Moshe. You have entered our community and become an active, vital part of it. You both are always ready to reach out and help anyone who needs it. And you do so with a sunny smile and an open heart.
Hazzan, you have continued to be a sincerely gracious and supportive colleague to us all, always willing to answer the call of HERJC or your colleagues. Through your amazing gift of song, you have lifted the spirit of our congregation in your services and in life cycle events. Plato once said that “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” Thank you for sharing your gifts of music with our community and with the children at the HERJC Nursery School, ​Congratulations to you both.
Laura, we live in a city and an age where we constantly feel like there is not enough time to do everything. We feel overextended. It’s a gift when we have time to watch TV. And yet when we do, we feel bad… how could we just be relaxing when we didn’t answer a whole pile of email, and we didn’t clean up the kitchen. Yet, in spite of the “time scarcity” problem, there are people who give of their time on a regular basis. Whether it’s to sit on a committee, stuff a stack of envelopes, greet people on Shabbat, or act as Co-President of the Education Committee.
You, Laura, have found a way to do it all.​ Having known you for so many years, the first adjective that comes to my mind is your kindness. Whether it’s the interactions you have with your own family, your friends, or the staff and me at the HERJC Nursery School, it is always with concern for the well being of all. During the course of my tenure at HERJC, you have served on many committees, and most recently as the Co-President of the Board of Education. In that role, you have proven to be hardworking and dedicated to all the families and children at the Synagogue. It is my honor to be able to write these words as you are honored at the HERJC for the many years that you have spent to make sure that the children of our synagogue have the best education possible. Mazel Tov on this honor, and thank you for all that you do.
Lisa, when I was in college, my English professor told me that in order to be a good writer, you have to be giving. You are truly the writer that my professor described. By volunteering, you have just given the most expensive and priceless gift anyone could have ever given – kindness, your valuable time, and unconditional love. When I write my article for Hakol, I take pride in knowing that it will not be published without your expertise. Emma Hill once said, “The first draft is black and white. Editing gives the story color.” Thank you for adding color to my words, and for being such a special part of our Synagogue.
Joan and Jimmy, the Talmud says that the highest form of wisdom is kindness. One of the hardest parts about quarantine is not being able to get together with your mentors, rabbis, and Jewish friends in person. Through this experience at the Hewlett East Rockaway Jewish Centre, we have become a community of people, who even during difficult times, have found a way to connect. Joan and Jimmy, your connection to the HERJC community is strong, and your commitment should be a model for others. Although you have moved away from our area, your dedication to the continuity and the traditions of our synagogue is present in everything you do. Mazel Tov on being this year’s recipients of the Kesher Award. It is an award that truly reflects the couple that you are.
On behalf of Sisterhood, we would like to extend our best wishes to Hazzan Bonnie and Moshe Zakarin, Lisa Cohen, Laura Underweiser, and Joan and Jimmy Berkowitz as they are recognized for their achievements at this year’s HERJC Gala.
We are so lucky to have Hazzan Bonnie and Moshe in our HERJC family. Seeing the love that they share for each other, and for our HERJC family, has been just beautiful. Hazzan Zakarin, you never cease to amaze! You are compassionate, welcoming, and knowledgeable, not to mention that you have a golden voice. You’ve offered outstanding concerts to HERJC. You continue to adjust the services, not just religious services, that you successfully provide to our congregation as the needs change and expand, never missing a beat. You took on the additional responsibilities of running our Religious School, and you smoothly adjusted to leading religious services alone between Rabbis. Your Zoom skills enabled us to continue to enjoy regular services 
during this pandemic year, together while apart, (complete with the opening of the virtual ark). For Sisterhood, you have welcomed us into your home for our annual Sweets in the Sukkah event, and you have provided the guidance that we have needed for our annual Sisterhood Shabbat. In addition, it was an honor for Sisterhood to plan a bridal shower for you before your wedding, and you made us feel special for doing it.
during this pandemic year, together while apart, (complete with the opening of the virtual ark). For Sisterhood, you have welcomed us into your home for our annual Sweets in the Sukkah event, and you have provided the guidance that we have needed for our annual Sisterhood Shabbat. In addition, it was an honor for Sisterhood to plan a bridal shower for you before your wedding, and you made us feel special for doing it.
Moshe, from the moment that you started to attend HERJC services while dating our Hazzan, you revealed your warm and caring personality as you got to know the congregants and we got to know you. We were privileged to enjoy hearing your deep rich harmony from the back of the sanctuary as Hazzan led from the bima. And during the pandemic, while services have been over Zoom, your rich voice in the background (while Hazzan led prayers) made it feel that there really was congregational participation in services. Your creative couple costumes with Hazzan, along with your warm greetings whenever we see you, make everyone feel the love.
Lisa, your lifetime achievements are numerous. I, Beverly, personally met you as my neighbor and you have become a dear friend. I remember being impressed way back when that you were Co-Chair of the HERJC Board of Ed, first with Adrienne Cohen and then with Suzanne Lutwick. Your being Head of the English Department at Hewlett High School was also impressive. You have served as Co-Editor of Hakol for several years and also applied your editing skills to so many HERJC Journals and programs. You served on the HERJC Adult Ed Committee, Membership Committee and Rabbi Search Committee. You were Kallat Torah for Simchat Torah in 2019 and served as Chair of the Sukkot Membership Celebration in 2018. Throughout the years you have read Torah for Sisterhood Shabbat, and this year stretched yourself to also lead most of Shacharit. Now that you’re fully retired, you’ve brought your vast experience and book knowledge to BQLI Region of Women’s League for Conservative Judaism, as Literary Arts Co-Chair, benefitting Sisterhoods across Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island. There is no room here for more than just a glance at your achievements.
Laura, you’ve become a shining light at HERJC both for your own involvement, and for sharing your talented daughters with us as they so beautifully lead prayers at services. You’ve become an essential member of the HERJC Board of Directors and served on the Rabbi Search Committee. It has been a pleasure getting to know you during Kiddush when this was actually in-person, and we enjoyed your company and stories at Sisterhood’s “indoor” Sweets in the Sukkah event during a year that it rained. We look forward to what you will accomplish in the future, starting with this recognition as an Emerging Leader.
Joan and Jimmy, your continued connection to HERJC is what earned you the Kesher Award. Kesher means connection. Members connect with HERJC in different ways. Some of us forge our connection through volunteering our time and others connect through supporting the synagogue with monetary donations. Both are essential to support the synagogue. We are lucky to have loyal members like you who, even after moving out of the neighborhood, continue to remain members and continue to support HERJC as patrons.
Your continued connection to HERJC from your home in Florida is yet another example of what has become a theme of this year, being together while apart.
Sisterhood and the entire congregation congratulate all of you! We are proud to honor you for serving as role models for the members of our congregation and to count you as members of our HERJC family.
Mazal Tov to this year’s honorees! When I think about what it means to be a leader and role model, each of the honorees stands out for his or her dedication to HERJC. I am very fortunate to know this year’s honorees in both personal and professional capacities. My relationship with Lisa Cohen spans three decades. I remember waiting each summer for my high school class schedule to arrive and the feeling of disappointment when Mrs. Cohen was not my English teacher. If you were lucky enough to be in one of her classes, you could be guaranteed an interesting, engaging year. Although I was not one of Lisa’s students, she served as a role model for me. I strive to be the kind of teacher that students hope to have. I hope to be the kind of teacher that students remember decades later, even if they were never in my classroom.
During the more recent years at HERJC, Laura Underweiser has become a tremendous ally of our youth and family engagement programs. As Co-Chair of the School Board, she has encouraged me to grow and expand my own role at HERJC. As my friend, she has encouraged me to become more active in synagogue life. When our children wanted more, Laura gave me the gentle nudge to help create programs that would fill the void. We come to shul together. We sit in the back row and kvell as our children participate in services in meaningful ways. I for one can’t wait to get back to that routine. Making the commitment to participate is one of the many ways that Laura leads by example.
The introduction of the Kesher award is very fitting during this unprecedented year. The word Kesher translates to connection or link. During this time of striving to maintain connections to those who are close is difficult. Add in distance and it becomes more complicated. Joan and Jimmy Berkowitz are very deserving of this honor. Thank you both for your continued dedication to the HERJC community.
Hazzan Zakarin and Moshe have been dedicated to HERJC in so many ways, I could go on for pages. From the moment we met, Hazzan Zakarin has helped my family; I become involved in the HERJC community in numerous ways. I recall the first time we met. Cooper had one of his ‘shul” dinosaurs with him. He walked up to the Hazzan to wish her Shabbat Shalom. I am not sure if she even realized how much this meant to him, but as she shook his hand, she bent down and greeted the dinosaur as well. She even got a kippah for him. In that one gesture, she won the hearts of my children. Hazzan Zakarin has been a tremendous asset to the Religious School community as well. It is a pleasure to work by her side.
I cannot imagine HERJC without the continued dedication of this year’s honorees. I thank you for all that you have done and look forward to growing relationships as we continue to work together for our HERJC family
YASHER KOACH!
On behalf of the Gala Committee, thank you for participating in the 2021 Gala, whether in person or virtually! It was a challenge to plan for two events happening simultaneously, but done with great thought on making this night special for our honorees and for all of you! Although we would have loved to have the event in our newly decorated ballroom and show it off in person, that will have to wait until next year.
As always, planning an event like this takes the cooperation of more than the Committee. Thank you to:
Ethel, Jane, Jinette and Betsy for all you do - we could never do this without you!
James and Crew, for all of their assistance - each and every day!
Board of Directors, for reaching out to your fellow congregants to encourage their attendance and participation!
Congratulations to our well deserving Honorees!
The 2021 Gala Committee
Tamar Barash, Rachel Cooper, Jenifer Keltz, Stephen Moelis, Audrey Polinsky, Amy Pomponio