Joe Sklar grew up in Marine Park, Brooklyn. When his father died while Joe was in college, his mom felt that it was important that Joe attend synagogue for a year and say Kaddish. When his mom died in 1974, just after Barbara, Joe, and baby Neil (with Lisa born a year and half later) had moved to East Rockaway, he knew that he should also say Kaddish for her. This would be the beginning of his long relationship with HERJC.

 

Growing up in Brooklyn, Joe attended James Madison H.S. and Brooklyn College, where he met Barbara Kessin. They married two years later, after Joe completed a year of law school in Buffalo. Switching fields to education, he returned to Brooklyn College, earning an MA degree in Urban Education as well as an Advanced Certificate in Educational Administration and Supervision, while teaching in an elementary school in Brooklyn.

 

Joe switched his allegiance to Queens and, after earning a second Master’s degree at Queens College, began teaching in a resource room, where he continued until his retirement in 2003. While teaching, he brought Chess In the Schools into PS 20Q and coordinated the program. He often accompanied the chess club to weekend chess tournaments. After his retirement, he taught chess to elementary school students in after-school programs.

 

For many years, the family spent summers at Camp Poyntelle where Joe supervised waterfront activities and taught canoeing. His love of canoeing continued over the years. He is a long time member of the Appalachian Mountain Club. He has both been a trip leader and participant and continues to paddle.

 

 Joe started as a volunteer at HERJC by becoming a member of the Men’s Club, helping at monthly breakfasts and annual sports award dinners, where a well-known athlete spoke to the synagogue children and teens. He became president of the Men’s Club. In that capacity he had a seat on the Board of Directors and was asked to continue on the Board after his term of Men’s Club president was over. He then served as chair of the Youth Committee.

Since playing chess is one of Joe’s passions, he reluctantly left the HERJC Board so that he could play chess at the Nassau Chess Club, which meets on Monday nights. He was then asked to join their honorary board. 

 

After hearing a presentation about the Hatzilu Rescue Organization at HERJC, Joe decided to get involved. He was moved by the plight of the needy Jewish poor. Joe has been an active member of Hatzilu for over forty years, taking on many roles including president. For over 20 years, he organized a chesed project involving all parts of the HERJC community which culminated in a massive Purim celebration for Hatzilu clients. For weeks before, both Nursery and Hebrew school children brought in nonperishable food items which were bagged by congregants and distributed to our elderly guests. Other volunteers prepared and plated food, set tables, and served the brunch. The Nursery School children paraded in, wearing their costumes, greeting our guests, and giving them Shalach Manot and handmade Purim cards. The morning ended with a Purim spiel by the Hebrew School. HERJC truly came together to do a mitzvah.

 

 Joe is co-chair with Jaime Ezratty of HERJC Cares. He makes shiva calls, delivers chesed baskets, and helps families in need in the HERJC community. He works in the Mitzvah Garden under the leadership of Larry Gottlieb. For many years, he volunteered one morning a week in the four-year-old class at the Nursery School until the start of the Covid pandemic. He misses his role as Grandpa Joe and the special relationships that he formed with the children.

 

 

Small children grow up and sometimes move away. Lisa now lives in Florida, where she works as a Manager of Reporting and Visualization for the University of Central Florida.  Neil lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where he has his own business.  Barbara and Joe have traveled, especially to warm places during the winter. Their last foreign trip, from which they returned just before the pandemic, was to Thailand, Borneo, and Malaysia.

 

Joe sends his congratulations to his fellow honorees, Heidi and Steven Kreit, and David Horton. It is a pleasure to be sharing this evening with them.