Honor Roll
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Dinner Theme
"The Joy of Judaism"
Over the past 35 years, NJOP has touched the lives of many hundreds of thousands of Jews in North America and many tens of thousands more in a total of 44 countries around the globe introducing them to the “Joys of Judaism” through positive, joyous Jewish experiences and exciting educational programs. As a result of NJOP’s efforts many tens of thousands of our Jewish brothers and sisters have been inspired to become more actively engaged in Jewish life, establishing a more meaningful connection to their glorious, rich and joyous Jewish heritage.
Featuring
Marc WeinerX
Marc was born in Queens, NY and grew up in the suburb of Mahopac, NY. Marc went to Monmouth College, and then worked on the Clearwater (environmental) Sloop, started by folk singer Peter Seeger. From 1977-1979, Marc performed outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twice working with Robin Williams. To get out of the cold, Marc became a regular at the Improvisation Comedy Club, as well as at The Comic Strip, Catch A Rising Star, and The Comedy Cellar. In 1981, he made his national network tv debut as a regular on Saturday Night Live, and The Secret Life of Milton (1984) (Showtime), a series of four delightful short films showing the vivid fantasies of a Hasidic Jew named Milton (whom he played), who imagines himself the hero of popular movies. In the following years, Marc appeared on many top-rated television shows. Marc created and hosted the popular daily children’s show Nickelodeon Weinerville, which ran on Nickelodeon from 1993-1996. In the UK, Marc starred in Trebor Mighty Mints commercials. Currently, Marc is providing the voices of the “Map”, “Swiper”, “Fiesta Trio” and a few other characters on Nick Jr.’s hit animated series Dora the Explorer.
In 2004, Marc developed the Empathy Labyrinth, a tool to teach empathy skills and Nonviolent Communication.
Marc attended the Beginners Service at Lincoln Square Synagogue during 1982-83, and became very close to the Buchwald family. After becoming religious, much of Marc’s (Moshe) comedy included Jewish and religious themes, and are considered classics in the traditional religious community.
Lisa GlazerX
Lisa Glazer is a former TV News correspondent, working for Fox News Channel, CNBC, and WCBS Channel 2 in New York, where she won an Emmy for her coverage of breaking news. Lisa started going to Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald’s Beginner Service in 1993 after taking a trip to Israel and realizing that she didn’t really know much about her Jewish heritage. She especially enjoyed the Q & A part of the Beginners Service where Rabbi Buchwald combined wisdom, warmth and humor to make the service so meaningful to everyone.
A (mostly) stay at home mom now, Lisa and her husband Paul are raising two sets of twins. Lisa is a frequent speaker at various Jewish outreach programs, and has given occasional classes on news writing and public speaking at Yeshiva Ketana of Manhattan and Manhattan High School for girls.
Lisa and Paul, frequently host young professionals for Shabbat and Yom Tov meals at their home on the Upper West Side.
Rabbi Ephraim BuchwaldX
Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald is one of the leaders in the movement of Jewish return in America today. He has pioneered and developed many of the most dramatic and effective outreach programs in this country.
Ordained at Yeshiva University, where he was a student of Rabbi Dr. J. B. Soloveitchik, Rabbi Buchwald served from 1973 for 15 years as the Director of Education at Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York, which, during his tenure, became one of the largest and most successful centers for adult Jewish education programs in America. He also established and coordinated Lincoln Square’s celebrated outreach program. Since 1975, Rabbi Buchwald has led the now-renowned “Beginners Service,” a special Shabbat service for people with little or no synagogue experience.
In July of 1987, Rabbi Buchwald founded the National Jewish Outreach Program. NJOP sponsors the acclaimed Shabbat Across America/Canada and READ HEBREW AMERICA/CANADA campaigns, establishes Beginners Services and offers the TURN FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SHABBAT, PASSOVER ACROSS AMERICA and SUKKOT ACROSS AMERICA programs, as well as free “Crash Courses” in Hebrew Reading, Basic Judaism and Jewish History. These programs have been hosted by more than 5,193* locations across North America, and in 41 additional countries worldwide.
Over the last 35 years, more than 1,717,995* North American Jews have been engaged Jewishly through NJOP’s positive, joyous Jewish programs and experiences. NJOP’s ever-expanding efforts, and its keen ability to recognize the most current cultural trends, have allowed it to become an acclaimed leader in Jewish social media. Every day, tens of thousands of fans and followers are presented with a means to positively and joyously participate in Jewish life through @JewishTweets on Twitter, NJOP’s Jewish Treats daily email and Facebook fan page. NJOP’s Jewish Treats’ YouTube channel boasts more than 2 million views.
In May 2001, Rabbi Buchwald was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Yeshiva University in recognition of his pioneering outreach work. He has been included in the Forward 50, a list of America’s 50 most influential Jews and Newsweek’s list of the top 50 Rabbis in America. It has been said that, aside from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Buchwald has brought more Jews closer to their Judaism than anyone else.
Rabbi Buchwald was Founding President of the Association for Jewish Outreach Professionals (AJOP). He lectures across the country and overseas, and leads experiential programs in cities throughout the world. He and his wife Aidel, reside in New York City, and are the proud parents of four children, who are married to four wonderful in-law children, who together are producing a growing number of Buchwald grandchildren.
* figures as of 3/2023
Dinner Journal
Memorial Tribute
Ludwig “Lou” Bravmann, z"l
On November 16, 2022, the Jewish community lost a consummate Jewish leader and magnanimous philanthropist, Lou Bravmann. Lou was born in Germany 98 years ago, and served in the American Army, Ski patrol in the Alps. He was a cherished friend of the late founding NJOP Board Member, Jack Nash, z”l.
Lou, together with his beloved wife, Lotte, who predeceased him. were part of the original NJOP Board, having met and become familiar with Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald when he taught their daughter, Dr. Carol Bravmann, at the Ramaz School nearly 50 years ago. Carol’s sister, Judy Bravmann and her husband Uri Kaufthal also became close friends and strong supporters of NJOP. Lou Bravmann was a hands-on Board Member of NJOP, who made certain that NJOP dotted every I and crossed every T in every NJOP publication. He also provided cogent financial and organizational advice to Rabbi Buchwald throughout the last 35 years. As world class philanthropists, he and Lotte were active in Yeshiva University, Gesher, SAR Schools in Riverdale, NY, UJA-Federation, and the Aleph Society, among many other worthy charities.
May his memory be blessed.
Margot Kann, z"l
Margot Kann was born in 1927 in Jersberg, Germany. Fortunately, her family came to the United States in 1939 and settled in Washington Heights, where Margot met her future husband of 68 years, the late Fred Kann, z”l, who was also a German refugee. A graduate of George Washington High School, Margot received her BA and master’s degree in English and Guidance Counseling from Montclair College in New Jersey. The Kanns eventually settled in North Caldwell, NJ, where their three sons, Robert, Barry and Michael were raised. They were deeply involved in their local synagogue and in the greater Jewish community, viewing every Jew as part of their larger extended family. Margot made a name for herself as a popular English teacher and guidance counselor at West Essex High School. As a result of an introduction by the late Lou Bravmann, z”l, the Kanns became involved supporters of NJOP, among many other Jewish organizations, such as the Gesher Foundation, the Aleph Society, SAR Academy/High School in Riverdale, NY, and the Gann Academy of Newton, MA. When the Kanns relocated to the Boston area to be closer to their children, they maintained their connection with Rabbi Buchwald, and were always proud of NJOP’s achievements. Margot’s warmth, charm and grace will be greatly missed. May her memory be a blessing to all.
Joel Barry Levey, z"l
NJOP recently received an extremely generous legacy from the Joel Barry Levey Administrative Trust. In the fall of 2006, Mr. Levey attended NJOP’s Hebrew Reading Crash Course in Los Angeles as part of the READ HEBREW AMERICA AND CANADA campaign. Over the years, Mr. Levey made modest contributions to NJOP but chose to leave a very substantial legacy to NJOP upon his death. NJOP acknowledges partners such as Rabbi Avrohom Czapnik, the Director of The Jewish Learning Exchange, for his yeoman efforts to help Mr. Levey and many thousands of others like him connect to NJOP’s programs, enabling them to become more actively engaged in Jewish life.
About NJOP
NJOP*, an independent, non-denominational, Jewish non-profit organization, was established in 1987 by Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald in response to the spiraling losses of Jews from Jewish life due to assimilation and lack of Jewish knowledge.