HONOREES
Helene and Michael Wengrofsky met in 1975, when Michael moved to the same block that Helene lived on in Brooklyn. After Michael completed law school, they got married and moved to Livingston in 1996 with their sons, Perry and Steven, followed soon after by the birth of their son Seth. For the past 30 years, Helene and Michael have been dedicated members of Suburban Torah. While they are very proud to have contributed to SSTC in a variety of formal and informal roles, they are also too modest to enumerate them here. Above all, they are both grateful to have been part of this community for so many years, and to have had the good fortune to watch their sons become bar mitzvahs at SSTC and celebrate their aufrufs here. They will now have the wonder of having the next generation join the Suburban Torah family, as Steven, Elisheva, and Charlie have moved to Livingston. Michael recently retired from a career as a tax attorney, so the only question that remains is whether their marriage will be able to survive his retirement.
Rabbi Sammy Beckerman, originally from Potomac, Maryland, is Suburban Torah's rabbinical intern and youth director, as well as a Judaic studies faculty member at RKYHS. After learning in Yeshivat HaKotel, he attended Yeshiva University’s Sy Syms School of Business, where he earned a Master of Science in Accounting.Yael Beckerman grew up in West Orange and attended JKHA and RKYHS, after which she studied in Midreshet Moriah followed by Yeshiva University's Stern College for Women. She then earned a degree from Touro College’s School of Health Sciences Doctorate of Physical Therapy Program. In addition to her role as youth director at Suburban Torah, she is a physical therapist, currently focusing on pelvic floor physical therapy in women and children.
Yael and Sammy first met as campers in Camp Nesher and were married in 2015. After Sammy spent a few years working in the real estate industry, he decided to change gears and enter a semicha program. The Beckermans relocated to Maryland when Sammy took a position as NCSY Greater Washington Program Coordinator. Since joining the Suburban Torah community in 2023, the Beckermans have worked tirelessly to engage families, teens, and children of all ages with fun and meaningful programming. Along with their children, Zara, Jojo, Amalya and Yisrael, they spend their summers back in Camp Nesher, where Yael is the Girls Head Counselor and Sammy is on the Chinuch staff.
Under the leadership of Police Chief Gary Marshuetz, the Livingston Police Department has continually exhibited its dedication to protecting our beloved shul as well as the entire Suburban Torah community. Even during tumultuous times, our congregation has continued to enjoy weekly Shabbats, holidays, and special events, largely thanks to the steadfast partnership of the Livingston Police Department and its commitment to keeping our premises secure and our members and guests safe and well-informed. Their officers are professional, personable, and always willing to help by providing extra patrols around holidays or times of increased risk, even without being asked. The Livingston Police truly embody what it means to be Guardians of the Community, and we are endlessly grateful to have such loyal and trustworthy partners in all of our endeavors.