Around The Community Bnos Bais Yaakov Annual Dinner
THE JEWISH HOME
FEBRUARY 5, 2015
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Mr. Shmuel Bergman
Mr. Moish Hirth
Bnos Bais Yaakov will b’ezras Hashem hold its annual dinner on Monday, February 16, 2015. This year we are proud to honor the esteemed members of its board of trustees, Mr. Samuel Bergman, Mr. Moish Hirth, and Mr. Mel Zachter. Mr. Samuel Bergman and his wife Sarah are long-time residents of Lawrence and have been active members of the Far Rockaway/Five Towns community for decades. An attorney by profession, Mr. Bergman held a position as partner at a major Manhattan law firm for 17 years and now maintains a private practice in corporate law. With his years of experience, Mr. Bergman brings extensive knowledge of the corporate and business worlds to Bnos Bais Yaakov. Mr. Bergman has served on the boards of Shaaray Tefila in Lawrence, where he served a chairman, as well as Yeshiva of South Shore. Currently, he serves as an advisor to both Shalom Task Force and Magen LI. Says his son, Dr. Akiva Bergman, “My father has always been a role model for me and my siblings. His deep devotion to his rebbeim and rabbonim, tenacious adherence to his core values of yashrus and integrity, and selfless concern for the klal are but a few of his qualities that we witness daily.” Mr. Bergman devotes an enormous amount of time to Torah learning. He has been a talmid of Rabbi Yehoshua Kalish through four cycles of daf yomi, attends numerous community shiurim, maintains daily chavrusahs, and spends three months a year in Eretz Yisrael, where he attends Rav Nissan Kaplan’s shiur in the Mir Yeshiva. Mr. Moish Hirth and his wife Evelyn have been residents of Lawrence for over 30 years. Mr. Hirth has been involved with Bnos Bais Yaakov for nearly a decade, and feels a strong sense of achrayus to lend a hand to sustain Bnos Bais Yaakov as an indispensible community institution. After his morning learning seder, Mr.
Mr. Mel Zachter
Rabbi Moshe Bender
Hirth divides his time between his construction business, his countless chassadim, and his community activism. Professionally, Mr. Hirth has for many years been managing Hirth Real Estate, which was founded by his father and uncle, Phillip and Jack Hirth. His line of business put Mr. Hirth in a unique position to spearhead the renovation of the Agudath Israel of Long Island, as well as the building of the Far Rockaway-Lawrence Mikvah. Indeed, Mr. Hirth handled all aspects of the mikvah building project, from developing the plans to implementing and supervising every phase of the process. Mr. Hirth believes, “A successful deal is made when both parties to a transaction leave the table feeling they have done well for themselves.” This belief is the reason people often approach Moish to mediate their conflicts, whether of a business or personal nature. Mr. Mel Zachter is renowned for his askanus in every arena in which his help is sought. A talented CPA by profession and a level-headed thinker by nature, Mr. Zachter is currently Co-president of Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services, and holds positions in his hometown of Staten Island on the boards of Yeshiva Merkaz Hatorah, Bikur Cholim, and Hatzoloh. He also serves as an advisor for Central Hatzoloh and serves on the community advisory board of Gouverneur Hospital of the NYC Health and Hospital Corporation. “For as long as I can remember, my father has been at the forefront of community needs,” says his daughter, Mrs. Cindy Becker. But Mr. Zachter does not reserve his talents for large organizations. “He is just as generous with his time and energies regarding individuals, whether giving advice, or helping someone get a job,” attests his son Yaakov. As to what spurs his father to be so giving, Yitzchok Zachter offers this explanation: “He is a tremendous baal achrayus; whatever he does, he does because he feels a responsibility to use his G-d given talents and
Mr. Shabse Fuchs
Mr. Joel Beritz
abilities to help others.” It is with profound hakaras hatov to Mr. Bergman, Mr. Hirth and Mr. Zacther for assuming the leadership of BBY that we laud them as guests of honor at Bnos Bais Yaakov’s annual dinner. BBY has selected Rabbi Moshe and Mrs. Shainy Bender as Parents of the Year. Rabbi Moshe Bender, Associate Dean in Yeshiva Darchei Torah, is the right-hand man of his father, renowned Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Yaakov Bender, who remarks that, “Moshe is tireless and indefatigable. He considers nothing to be out of his domain or not in his league.” But according to Moshe, the most gratifying parts of his job are the weekly shmuess he gives to the 8th grade boys and his involvement with the Mesivta and Bais Medrash bochurim. R’ Moshe is no stranger to askanus, either. During the early years of his marriage when he lived in Lakewood, he established a morning kollel where yungerleit earned a supplementary income based on mastery of additional mesechtas. Until today, he is involved in myriad issues and projects in the community. “He really feels the pain of any individual in a difficult situation, and is a paradigm of ‘imo anochi b’tzarah,’” attests one friend. “Yet he is so full of energy that one would not know that in reality he sleeps very little because he is always busy helping both mosdos and yechidim.” Mrs. Shainy Bender is the highly efficient BBY secretary for grades 1 -4. Says Morah Penina Neuberg, elementary school principal, “I’d really like to get up and speak about her, because she is an individual who works tirelessly, selflessly, and professionally on behalf of BBY, but always in the most unassuming way.” Shainy also serves as the secretary/ liaison for the PTA, bringing her trademark efficiency to bear on everything she does. Beyond facilitating PTA functions during school hours, Shainy gives generously of her own time to assist the PTA, whether for the walk-a-thon – as
Mr. Jason Cury
she goes through each form to make sure every girl gets the correct prize – setting up for melava malkas, or heading the Tu B’Shvat event, Shainy can never do enough for the PTA. And everything is always done with her signature smile and “can-do” attitude. But despite the Benders’ busyness outside the home, serenity reigns within. Homework is accomplished with an air of calm. The children sit around the dining room table with Shainy supervising and answering questions. Shabbos in the Bender home is devoted to the children. Moshe insists that every child gets his or her turn (however long it may take!) to regale the family with their knowledge of the parsha. The Benders recognize that children must have their parents’ full attention. And, indeed, they do. The Benders are quick to acknowledge that their devotion to their children is a direct outgrowth of the way in which they were raised. Moshe’s parents, Rabbi and Mrs. Yaakov and Bryna Bender, have a golden reputation as mechanchim and visionaries. Shainy’s parents, Rabbi Yehuda and Mrs. Gitty Pirutinsky, enrich their Lakewood community with their ehrlichkeit, inherent dignity, and impeccable adherence to even the tiniest nuances of yashrus and emes. Rabbi Pirutinsky is the Menahel of the Lakewood Cheder and a well-known mohel. Mrs. Pirutinsky runs a successful kindergarten program and is known for her ability to connect to her young students. “Parents of the Year” is not an award that Bnos Bais Yaakov bestows lightly. The honorees must reflect all that BBY holds dear, in terms of chinuch and moral rectitude. By melding the rich legacies of their families, Moshe and Shainy Bender have created a unique balance of being available for others, yet realizing that their ultimate goal is being there for their children. We are therefore proud to attribute that title to Rabbi Moshe and Shainy Bender. Mr. and Mrs. Shabse and Tova Fuchs are a couple who wears the crown of a