Engaging, Inspiring and Educating Jews for T W E N T Y - N I N E Y E A R S

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1 Tuesday, February 7, 2017 L i n co l n S q u a r e Sy n a g o g u e z ww ga, yca c ww h

2 HeBrew reading crash courses read HeBrew america and canada shabbat across america and canada the Beginners service HigH Holiday Beginners service Passover across america sukkot across america chanukah across america crash course in Basic Judaism crash course in JewisH History JewisH treats Parents are teachers

3 PROGRAM W E L C O M E Larry Greenman Assistant Director, NJOP Master of Ceremonies Seth (Linden) Litzenblatt H A M O T Z I Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Founder and Director SpeciaL presentation by Ambassador Danny Danon Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations presentation of the elli & israel Krakowski Memorial award Amy and Mitchell Kase presentation of the carl & Sylvia Freyer young Leadership award Tova and Assaf Alster D I N N E R presentation of the Leslie nelkin Special Service award Beverly and Dr. Leonard Davidman D E S S E R T G R A C E A F T E R M E A L S

4 NJOP NJOP*, an independent, non-denominational, 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. Through its highly innovative and stimulating educational programming and influential social media platforms, NJOP conveys the relevance and vibrancy of Judaism to contemporary Jews by providing a greater understanding and knowledge of the basics of Judaism and Jewish life. Over the last 29 years, more than 1,567,590** North American Jews have been engaged Jewishly through NJOP s positive, joyous Jewish programs and experiences. NJOP's renowned programs, such as REAd HEBREw AmERicA ANd canada, SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA ANd canada, PASSOvER, SukkOT ANd chanukah AcROSS AmERicA, Shabbat and High Holiday Beginners Services and crash courses in Basic Judaism and Jewish History, have been offered at nearly 5,000 synagogues and Jewish organizations across North America and in 41 additional countries around the globe. 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 on Twitter, NJOP s Jewish Treats daily and Facebook fan page. NJOP s Jewish Treats YouTube channel boasts more than 1.8 million views. Since its founding, NJOP has become one of the largest and most successful organizations, impacting broadly on Jewish engagement throughout the world. NJOP extends special thanks to mr. Sam domb for his extraordinary efforts on behalf of NJOP and the Jewish people. *National Jewish Outreach Program is now NJOP. **As of december 2016

5 A Message From THE DIRECTOR R E N E W I N G O u R D A Y S A S O F O L D Our rabbis say that the Biblical matriarch, Sarah, was as beautiful at age 127 as she was at age 20. NJOP, which was one of the first Jewish educational organizations to try to unify Jews throughout the nation and across the denominational spectrum, recognizes that vigor and vitality are critical to the youthful energy that fosters innovation. At nearly thirty years of age, NJOP has only just begun! NJOP has always strived to be sensitive to the newest trends in marketing Judaism. when the National Jewish Outreach Program was first established in 1987, NJOP was the first to use toll free 800 numbers: Hebre(W) and SHabbaT. we were also among the first Jewish organizations to use jingles on the radio. i recall meeting parents who told me that their little children were obsessed with our jingles, both the Hebrew Reading campaign s, Being Jewish is Just the Beginning! and SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA S SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA: One People, One Family, One Love! we were one of the earliest Jewish organizations to make broad use of the internet. we used billboards on highways and advertised on the sides of busses and on the NYc subway. we conducted a shofar blowing contest in Herald Square and came up with great tag lines, like Positive, joyous Jewish experiences and Give your lungs a religious experience. Staying current and innovative is not easy. while NJOP is widely known for being on the cutting-edge of Jewish marketing, and has become the envy of much of the professional outreach world, staying on top of our game requires a constant labor of love. NJOP has been blessed with exceedingly creative staff members and consultants, who not only keep coming up with new ideas and methods of marketing, but are also always very much on top of contemporary trends. when the word outreach became dated, we modified our original name, National Jewish Outreach Program and adopted NJOP to avoid offending those for whom outreach had negative connotations, possibly implying a holier-than-thou loftiness rather than the desired sense of family and community. That is why today we speak of Jewish engagement, rather than Jewish outreach. The effort to stay on top of the newest trends never stops. At the suggestion of mr. Sam domb and with the support of Paul J. Taubman, NJOP was able, several years ago, to launch two very successful programs, PASSOvER AcROSS AmERicA and SukkOT AcROSS AmERicA. during the last five years, over 42,000 people have participated in these two programs. This year, again at the suggestion and with the financial support of mr. Sam domb, NJOP launched chanukah AcROSS AmERicA, which, in its first year, attracted almost 8,000 participants. Social media has become the call of the day and, over the past few years, NJOP has flourished in that medium. Branching out in Facebook, Twitter and instagram, thousands of young Jews are now involved in our daily

6 A Message From THE DIRECTOR conversations on our Jewish Treats platforms. Over 1.8 million people have viewed NJOP videos on YouTube. innovation and fresh ideas continue to roll in. Last year s extremely clever marketing of SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA with my Shabbat Party presidential campaign was successful, even if i didn t win delegates in even one state. i would like to thank the entire NJOP staff, without whom none of this would be possible. Tonight we are truly privileged to honor two very special people, amy and mitchell kase, recipients of the Elli and israel krakowski memorial Award. Amy s parents, Ruth, and Harold (ob m) and her brother, Les (ob m) have been involved with NJOP since its founding. Soon after, Amy and mitchell joined with her family and quickly emerged as generous supporters and leaders in their own right. NJOP is particularly pleased to honor this most deserving couple who are deeply committed to the belief that every Jew is entitled to a positive, joyous Jewish education and inspiring Jewish experiences. tova and assaf alster, recipients of the carl and Sylvia Freyer Young Leadership Award, exemplify the special talent of bringing people together. Their warm friendship and hospitality has been extended to hundreds in their local community. Because of their talents and devotion, SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA on the upper west Side of manhattan has featured wonderful speakers and has attracted large numbers of participants, among them many whose lives have been transformed by the many kindnesses extended by Tova and Assaf. Beverly and dr. leonard davidman, recipients of the Leslie Nelkin Special Service Award, are an extraordinary couple who have been at the forefront of Jewish engagement for over 30 years. many who have attended the Beginners Service at Lincoln Square Synagogue in my absence have benefitted from Lenny s engaging personality and erudite presentations. Beverly, a noted Tea-cha in her own right, has positively impacted on thousands of students across the continent. NJOP feels especially fortunate to be able to call Beverly and Lenny our dear friends. NJOP acknowledges the unstinting support of you, our devoted friends and supporters, who have partnered in our vital mission of providing a positive, joyous Jewish education to every North American Jew, helping to foster Jewish continuity and assure a bright future for Jews around the world. Although NJOP has aged chronologically, d shay nim v ra ana nim ye yuh, we hope, as the psalmist says, to continue to be fresh and renewed. Todah.

7 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS we are deeply grateful to our very talented dinner chairs: michelle domb, tracy & sander gerber, shaina & ari moses, michelle & eli salig and sarra & cyrus schwartz. Their devotion to NJOP and to the success of this dinner knows no bounds. From its inception, NJOP has been blessed with extraordinary and devoted staff members. They are gifted professionals whose full hearts and ready hands are thoroughly committed to the cause of Jewish engagement. despite cautious budgeting, we have, remarkably, maintained and even exceeded our previous level of success and professionalism. They deserve our full gratitude. The position of Event Planner is a challenging responsibility, but renee erreich fulfills the role gracefully and effectively. A consummate professional with an upbeat personality, she meets each one of the many challenges step-by-step. The success of tonight s dinner reflects her unique talents and thorough devotion. Special thanks to mr. sam domb, whose constant concern, sage advice and unlimited generosity over the years have benefitted NJOP immeasurably. may the Al-mighty grant mr. domb good health and much happiness. Our expressions of gratitude are truly inadequate. Sincere appreciation to Jay domb for his devoted help to ensure a comfortable work environment by upgrading the plumbing and electrical needs of the NJOP office. we also thank sharmel caterers, who have extended themselves, to present this evening s dinner in a most tasteful and elegant manner, all the while helping us stay within our budget. we extend our gratitude to yehudah and david rudman and Jarrod Hurwitz of Real to Reel video Productions for tonight s audio-visual presentations. we are deeply grateful to elliot schwartz, Faygie Bienenfeld and the entire staff of the artscroll Printing corp. for their exceptional efforts in creating and producing this evening s beautiful Tribute Journal and the invitation for tonight s event.

8 DINNER COMMITTEE HONORARY DINNER CHAIRS HELEN NASH JudY & michael STEiNHARdT DINNER CHAIRS michelle domb TRAcY & SANdER GERBER SHAiNA & ARi moses michelle & ELi SALiG SARRA & cyrus ScHwARTZ DINNER COMMITTEE diane&the HONORABLE ROBERT ABRAmS RENÉE & STEvEN AdELSBERG RuTH & dr. SEYmOuR AdLER RABBi HYmAN & ANN ARBESFELd dr. michelle FRiEdmAN BELFER & BENJAmiN BELFER miriam & dr. marvin BELSkY chantal & marc BELZBERG ROSALYN & RONALd BiNdAY deborah & dr. RicHARd BORN POLLY & GABRiEL BOuSBiB mr. & mrs. YEHudAH ARYEH BOuSBiB LOTTE & LudwiG BRAvmANN BLANcHE & YEdidiAH BucHwALd JENNiFER & SAuL BuRiAN dr. SuSAN & ROBERT chambré valerie & charles diker JAY domb RONALd domb karen & ANdREw duell wendy & BRANdON dunn SuZAN & FREd EHRmAN STEvEN A. EiSENBERG karen LEHmANN-EiSNER & david EiSNER PAmELA & ALEc ELLiSON HELENE S. & ZiEL FELdmAN dana & AdAm E. FiNE SHELLEY & dr. ROBERT FiScHEL karen & david FiSHOF carole & JAck FORGASH ANNE & NATALiO FRidmAN JOYcE & david FRiEdmAN PHYLLiS & STANLEY GETZLER deborah & ELLiOT GiBBER ESTELLE & LEONARd GLASS BERNARd GOLdBERG BARBARA GOOdSTEiN AdRiANA & kenneth GORdON ROBiN GORdON FELiSE & HiLLEL GROSS ELiANA & vladimir GuTiN FANYA GOTTESFELd HELLER REBEccA & dr. isaac HERScHkOPF SANdRA & HOwARd i. HOFFEN didi & AdAm HuTT RENA & david JAROSLAwicZ FLORiE & BENSON JERuSALmi LiNdA & michael JESSELSON margot & FREd kann YAFFA & RABBi martin katz vicki & SAmuEL katz LiNdA & ilan kaufthal RuTH & dr. JERRY kestenbaum SANdRA & ALAN kipust dr. ELiZABETH A. konecky david kramer YAAkOv R. kronfeld BRYNA & JOSHuA LANdES cheryl & LEE LASHER carl m. LERNER NAN & PETER LEvY dr. LEORA & RicHARd LiNHART ELLEN & mordecai LiPkiS JAN & RONALd LiPSTEiN FRiEdA & JOSEPH LOSHiNSkY FAYE manger RENEE H. manger BARBARA duberstein & david messer EvE & STEPHEN milstein RABiA & OLivER mitchell ROSE moskowitz RuTH NELkiN FLORENcE NORYcH JOEL N. PELOFSkY SHANNON & ANdREw PENSON GAiL PROPP RELLA FELdmAN & curtiss PuLiTZER ingeborg & ira RENNERT michelle RiTHOLTZ PAmELA & GEORGE ROHR malki & J. PHiLiP ROSEN kayla & LEONARd ROSEN vivian & HENRY ROSENBERG drs. kathy HALTON & marc ROSENBLATT carolyn & marc ROwAN carol & LAwRENcE SAPER PARi & HENRY ScHwARTZ BETH & JOSHuA ScHwARTZ maura & LEONARd SHAYkiN JudiTH & isaac SHERmAN ANdREw R. SiEGEL RAcHEL & HARRY SkYdELL vivienne & mordecai SOLOFF JANET & SAuL SPiTZ JOSEPH B. SPRuNG RONA & ANdREw STEiNERmAN dr. ELLiE carmody & daniel STONE ZAHAvA & moshael STRAuS NANcY & SAm SuTTON danielle & PAuL J. TAuBmAN AdiNA & PHiLiP wagman JANE & warren weiss LAuRiE & RicHARd wolff miriam & JEFFREY ZuckERmAN BOARD OF DIRECTORS marc BELZBERG LudwiG BRAvmANN valerie T. diker BRANdON dunn FREd EHRmAN ALEc L. ELLiSON AdAm E. FiNE SYLviA FREYER TRAcY GERBER BERNARd GOLdBERG HiLLEL A. GROSS HOwARd i. HOFFEN ilan kaufthal dr. ELiZABETH A. konecky JAck NASH, z l GEORGE ROHR marc ROwAN ELi SALiG LAwRENcE SAPER cyrus ScHwARTZ LEONARd SHAYkiN SAuL SPiTZ moshael STRAuS JEFFREY i. ZuckERmAN

9 AMY and MITCHELL KASE Elli & Israel Krako wski Memorial Award HONOREES Raised in the greater New York metropolitan area, both Amy and mitchell kase grew up with strong Jewish identities. mitchell, a native of Bergen county, New Jersey, attended Hebrew school until he was 15. Amy received her early childhood education at the North Shore Hebrew Academy. Amy s family has had a long history with Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald and NJOP that began with Amy s brother, Leslie Nelkin, z l, who used to sign her up for Shabbat dinners on the upper west Side. Rabbi Buchwald s deep connection with Les eventually extended to the entire Nelkin family, and grew stronger as he stood with them through Les tragic fatal illness. A graduate of columbia college and Law School, Amy practiced law for 15 years. mitchell, a graduate of both the Philadelphia college of Textiles and Science and kean university, is a Product Safety and Product development manager of Textiles and infant care Products at Regent Baby Products corporation. The kases are members of Temple israel of Great Neck, where their daughters, Liana and Lily, attend Hebrew School. They are also members of the local Hadassah chapter and the uja. Although mitchell only first met Rabbi Buchwald after his engagement to Amy, they developed a close bond after Rabbi Buchwald officiated at their wedding. in addition to their close personal connection, the kases admire the fact that NJOP has always had a warm and welcoming approach to people of all backgrounds and all levels of Jewish knowledge and practice.

10 HONOREES TOVA and ASSAF ALSTER Carl & Sylvia Freyer Young Leadership Award Tova and Assaf Alster consider Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald and NJOP to be near and dear to their hearts. Through their involvement with NJOP, the Alsters were able to increase their connection to the beautiful community of the Lincoln Square Synagogue Beginners Service where Tova was able to learn about, explore and embrace the Orthodox Judaism in which Assaf had been raised. A native of Brooklyn, Assaf received a rich Jewish education during his childhood and then earned a degree in Political Science and History from Hunter college. He has spent the last two decades working in digital advertising and now serves as a management consultant and start-up investor. Far from a Brooklyn childhood, Tova grew up in kyoto, Japan. She came to the united States as a student at age 16 and attended high school in central city, Nebraska. Tova then earned a triple major degree from Northwest missouri State university. Today she is an actuary at an insurance underwriting firm. After attending Rabbi Buchwald s Beginners Service, the Alsters discovered that NJOP represents an ideal of what Judaism is all about: kiruv (Jewish engagement), kindness and dedicating oneself to the well-being and growth of kehilat Yisrael (the Jewish people). Rabbi Buchwald embodies these values and principles like few others. in addition to their active involvement with NJOP, the Alsters are also proud supporters of masbia soup kitchens and Go-kosher, as well as migdal Ohr, One israel Fund, Ateret cohanim and chabad.

11 HONOREES BEVERLY and DR. LEONARD DAVIDMAN Leslie Nelkin Special Service Award Beverly davidman, a much-sought-after math teaching consultant in the New York city Public School system, was for 34 years a highly-acclaimed high school math teacher. Always deeply concerned about teaching and reaching all of her students, Beverly composed and created a unique collection of rap songs and developed the beloved persona of "Queen math Tea-cha" to help her struggling geometry students learn the complex theorems. Her effectiveness in the classroom and total dedication to her students led to her wide recognition among math educators, her being selected in 1994 by the walt disney Organization as the number one math teacher in America and a distinguished appearance on The Oprah winfrey Show. it was almost destiny that a recognized leader in mathematics would be inspired and transformed by a renowned leader in the Jewish community, Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald. Her husband, psychologist dr. Leonard davidman, is a man who fills many important leadership roles: chief Psychologist for 40 Years at metropolitan Hospital center, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the New York medical college, President of the New York city Psychologists union and former President of the New York State Psychological Association. For the past two decades, Lenny has personally assisted Rabbi Buchwald in whatever way he can. He leads Rabbi Buchwald's famed Beginners Service during the summers and during Rabbi Buchwald s absence. Although not an ordained rabbi, Lenny, a former yeshiva bochur (student), leads a free, public Yom kippur Yizkor service for hundreds of people. He also conducts a Rosh Hashana service and blows shofar for patients and staff of mount Sinai west (formerly Roosevelt Hospital) and chairs his union's Jewish Heritage committee, which creates annual Jewish-themed events for hundreds of New York city municipal workers. Thirty-five years ago, Beverly and Lenny were married at Lincoln Square Synagogue. The wedding was a unique union and expression of cultures and diversity. Today, many people still have vivid memories of that wedding because it exemplified the best in all of us: making the world and relationships work no matter what the background of the people. Their belief system was a perfect fit with the ideology of NJOP and Lincoln Square Synagogue.

12 ENDOWMENTS The Leslie Nelkin Special Service Award is named in memory of Leslie (Les) Nelkin, who was deeply involved with NJOP when he passed away in July of 2001, at age 37. A dual-degree graduate in Engineering and Law from columbia university, Les first served as an attorney with Skadden Arps before becoming one of the top analysts/investors on wall Street. Les and the Nelkin family were honored at the 1999 NJOP dinner. Les left an extremely generous legacy to NJOP, and we are pleased to keep his memory alive at NJOP with the Special Service Award. The Carl & Sylvia Freyer Young Leadership Award is named in honor of Sylvia and the late carl Freyer. The Award is in recognition of the Freyers many years of dedication to NJOP, where they are numbered among NJOP s most consistent and generous supporters. The Freyer family passionately subscribes to NJOP s credo that every Jew is entitled to a basic Jewish education and positive, joyous Jewish experiences, as well as NJOP s commitment to the development of young leaders for the next generation. The Elli & Israel Krakowski Memorial Award is named in memory of two of NJOP s longtime friends and supporters. known throughout the world Jewish community as dedicated doers, the krakowskis never forgot the kindnesses done to them in their times of need and were committed to giving back. The krakowskis were devoted to commemorating the Holocaust and generously supported many Jewish institutions, while at the same time always celebrating Jewish life. Their endeavors were the perfect complement to NJOP s efforts to share the beauty of Jewish life with Jews around the globe. Spearheaded by their children, Lili and Harry, and grandchildren, Rachel, Sarah, Sophie, Leah, Ariella & Jay, and ilana, the krakowski endowment enables NJOP to increase its vital work to make the richness of Jewish living and practice more accessible to Jews the world over. The Zachary & Jennie Lebwohl Endowment was established in 2007 by the Lebwohl children in memory of their parents, who built, from the ashes of the Holocaust, a committed Jewish family in America. Their passionate concern that Jewish life should survive and flourish even beyond their lifetimes has resulted in the establishment of the Zachary & Jennie Lebwohl Endowment at NJOP.

13 ENDOWMENTS Regina ullendorff tdhpu hfsrn,c kjr This year, NJOP lost one of its most cherished supporters, Regina ullendorff (age 95), of blessed memory. Through the ullendorff memorial Foundation, Regina, together with her late husband uli Henry ullendorff, ob m, and children, have for the past 25 years, been amongst NJOP s most generous donors, underscoring their gratitude for their own experiences at the LSS Beginners Service led by Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, and the learning and spiritual growth that it inspired. NJOP is most appreciative for the continued warm support of the ullendorff children, who have demonstrated a strong desire to continue in their parents footsteps, supporting causes like NJOP that were near and dear to their remarkable parents, Regina and uli. in 2009, NJOP was the beneficiary of a most generous bequest from the estate of the late George Kransdorf. Rabbi Buchwald had the pleasure of knowing this kind, generous and intelligent man for more than 20 years. mr. kransdorf loved to study Torah and to inquire about the higher questions of life. A handsome, dignified and refined person, he was always effusive with his compliments. in recognition of his generosity, the NJOP website is dedicated in his memory. in 2015, NJOP was the recipient of an extremely generous endowment from The Novak Charitable Fund. The endowment was established by its Trustee, Earl N. Feldman, to further the mission and objectives of NJOP. NJOP expresses its gratitude to the following beloved supporters, of blessed memory, who, by leaving generous legacies to NJOP, made certain that their generosity would continue beyond their lifetime: Daniel Eth, z l Lillian Gross, z l Sylvia Holder, z l Fred Snitzer, z l NJOP sadly notes the recent passing of NJOP's dear friends and benefactors, Rabbi Mayer Offman and Eddie Steinberg who were passionately devoted to Jewish engagement and NJOP.

14 DEDICATIONS & SPONSORSHIPS njop expresses its gratitude to the following friends for their generosity in dedicating/sponsoring various njop programs and publications: Mr. Sam Domb, for inspiring and sponsoring chanukah AcROSS AmERicA in memory of his beloved friend, ulo Barad, z l, A man who did so much for so many. Sylvia Freyer and the Freyer Family Foundation, for generously underwriting and sponsoring the marketing of the High Holiday Beginners Services. Paul J. Taubman, for generously underwriting and sponsoring the marketing of SukkOT AcROSS AmERicA and PASSOvER AcROSS AmERicA in memory of his beloved father, Joseph L. Taubman, z l. Wendy and Brandon Dunn, for dedicating Bereshith, NJOP s quarterly Beginners newsletter, in memory of Brandon s father, irwin dunn (Yisrael ben Avraham), z l, and wendy s mother, Joan klein (Yaka Leah bat Beryl), z l. The David Berg Foundation, for annually sponsoring the crash course in Basic Judaism and Rabbi Buchwald s presentation of the crash course. Special thanks to the Foundation s President, michele cohn Tocci. Janet and Sholom Spitz, for dedicating Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald s weekly Torah message in memory of Sholom s parents, Naphtali Zvi Hertz Spitz, z l, and Shirley Spitz Stein, z l. Amy and Seth Litzenblatt, for a generous donation dedicated to the creation of a series of prayer videos featuring Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald. Sandra and Michael Hecht and Susan Hecht and David Cohen, for sponsoring the marketing of Jewish Treats. Andrew Siegel, for dedicating, in honor of NJOP s Associate director Emeritus, Rabbi Yitzchak Rosenbaum, a series of video presentations featuring Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald teaching the acclaimed crash course in Basic Judaism.

15 DEDICATIONS & SPONSORSHIPS Bonnie and Steven E. Stern, for dedicating the printing of the student workbooks, as part of NJOP s Hebrew Reading crash course Level ii, in memory of their parents, dr. and mrs. Samuel L. Berson, z l, and mr. and mrs. Gustav Stern, z l. Anne and Rabbi Zechariah Senter and the Kof-K Kosher Supervision for dedicating, in honor of NJOP s Associate director Emeritus, Rabbi Yitzchak Rosenbaum, a series of short videos on Judaism featuring Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald. Shifra and Perry Garber for dedicating 1,000 copies of the Aleph Bet wall chart in loving memory of Freida ita wendum, z l. We would like to thank the following supporters for sponsoring a recent printing of reishith binah, njop s acclaimed Hebrew primer: Shifra and Perry Garber, for dedicating 1,000 copies of Reishith Binah in loving memory of Jacob wendum (Yaakov Hakohen), z l. Meira and Tom Fleisch, for dedicating 2,000 copies of Reishith Binah in loving memory of Eleanor Fleisch, z l. Sari and Gregory Sholom for dedicating 1,000 copies of Reishith Binah in loving memory of Greg s mother, Susan Levy Berman, z l.

16 PROGRAMMING update For all its dedicated efforts to engage, inspire and educate Jews, NJOP has achieved much acclaim. Founded just under 30 years ago, NJOP was one of the first Jewish organizations to focus on providing programs that offer basic Jewish knowledge and positive, joyous Jewish experiences to Jews of every denomination. Through its broad range of creative initiatives, NJOP strives to build unity, community and ensure Jewish continuity throughout North America and around the world. SHABBAT ACROSS AMERICA AND CANADA Last year, NJOP celebrated the 20th anniversary of its flagship program, SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA ANd canada - a fact that is itself an enormous accomplishment. Over the last two decades, SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA ANd canada has touched the lives of more than 1,038,559 North American Jewish men, women and children. Last year s SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA ANd canada was dedicated by the Barad family in memory of ulo Barad, z l, a man who did so much for so many. Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald often proudly notes that no other Jewish communal event is more ubiquitous on Jewish community calendars nationwide than SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA ANd canada. we are especially pleased to report that, on its 20th anniversary, 547 locations partnered with NJOP for this very special, unifying event. in many locations, the numbers of participants in attendance were astounding. At kehilath Jeshurun in manhattan, there were a record-breaking 860 attendees! Three other locations welcomed between guests, nine hosted participants and 67 were joined by over 100. For the second year, NJOP promoted its innovative community SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA ANd canada, where multiple organizations within a particular community join together on a Friday night for a city-wide SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA ANd canada program. in Stamford, ct, which participated in community SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA ANd canada last year as well, two Orthodox synagogues, chabad of Stamford, the conservative and Reform synagogues, along with the Jcc and Federation co-sponsored the program at a local hotel, welcoming 400 participants. in the wyoming valley of central Pennsylvania, Orthodox and conservative synagogues joined with the local Federation and the Jcc to create an evening of great inspiration. Long Beach, NY s community program featured three Orthodox synagogues, and was celebrated by 200 people. The Federation and a Reform synagogue joined together in Reading, PA, to welcome 200 participants. Finally, 90 people in Portland, me, joined together at a community event hosted by a local Orthodox synagogue, a local conservative synagogue, the local Federation and the local community day School. NJOP is proud of this new and important initiative and the unifying role played by SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA ANd canada. we look forward to the concept expanding and growing rapidly in the coming years.

17 PROGRAMMING update PASSOVER ACROSS AMERICA due to the inspiration of mr. Sam domb and the generosity of mr. Paul J. Taubman (in memory of his father, Joseph L. Taubman, z l), NJOP presented its 12th annual PASSOvER AcROSS AmERicA at 70 locations in 28 different states and one canadian province, as well as in New Zealand. This year s national program welcomed over 5,000 men, women and children, hundreds of whom may not have otherwise attended any Seder this year. The feedback we received is truly heartening. we hope that the following excerpt provides a fuller view of the importance of NJOP s strategic support and the long-term positive impact of this partnership: with NJOP s help we are able to build something that didn t flash and burn after one year, but will continue to grow in quality and quantity each year. i will admit that as i approached this Passover, i was concerned that our success of last year was a one-time thing. New rabbi, new strategic partner in NJOP, new advertising and outreach strategies, they were all going to be one hit wonders. what i have realized throughout this year, with SukkOT AcROSS AmERicA, SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA and PASSOvER AcROSS AmERicA, is that having the resources to provide consistently high level, insightful and enticing programming is never one-off; it takes patterns of repetition to build a brand and that s exactly what NJOP is helping us do as a center of Jewish life in Fayetteville, Nc... A favorite comment shared with me was from a new, not-yet-member of the congregation who is on a path exploring a Judaism he was born into but never raised with. He commented that every year we hang up the SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA poster when it arrives in the mail and this year we printed out the PASSOvER AcROSS AmERicA ad and put multiple copies around the room. All night there were people reading the poster, looking at the other [participating] communities. This network that NJOP helps to create means so much to my congregation. we cease to see ourselves as alone and isolated, we are connected to a larger Jewish world. That gift is not insignificant. The same can be said about the preparation conference call and Facebook group. mary Jenkins, Event coordinator, Beth israel congregation, Fayetteville, Nc

18 Crash Course in Basic Judaism PROGRAMMING update we are delighted to report once again that NJOP s crash course in Basic Judaism continues to impact strongly across the North American continent and beyond. This past year, the crash course in Basic Judaism was taught to upper East Siders at kehilath Jeshurun in manhattan, to students at ucla in Los Angeles and to u.s. airmen at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan. NJOP partnered with a chabad in Oxford, OH, a Federation in Savannah, GA, and a detention facility in washington, d.c. we are equally proud when the crash course in Basic Judaism is taught in smaller Jewish communities such as Fayetteville, Nc, and waco, TX, as when we partner in larger communities such as Baltimore, md, Las vegas, Nv, and denver, co. The enduring lessons of Judaism are forever relevant. NJOP is delighted to support such diverse partners from different denominations of Judaism, fulfilling the ancient prophets dreams of brothers sitting together. this year s david Berg lecture series, taught by rabbi ephraim Buchwald, was hosted by a new communal institution, the united kehilla of long Beach, composed of six local synagogues. The venue for this year s series was the Long Beach Hotel in Long Beach, NY, a beautiful off-the-beach hotel that includes the kosher Surf Room restaurant. As per the coordinator s recommendation, the series was offered in late June, when the population of the beach area begins to increase. Once again, NJOP made the crash course in Basic Judaism lectures available to those who are unable to attend in person. Building on last year s meerkat experiment, this year, NJOP used the new Facebook Live videofeed to broadcast the lectures. whereas the meerkat livefeed could only be viewed during the time of broadcast, recordings made via Facebook are saved and can be viewed at any time. High Holiday Programs Building on the momentum created by last year s inaugural Freyer Family Foundation s sponsorship of the High Holiday Beginners Services, NJOP assisted synagogues and Jewish centers in creating and promoting special services for Rosh Hashana and/or Yom kippur. This year, once again, with the assistance of the Freyer family, 15 new locations were able to offer a High Holiday Beginners Service for the first time in at least five years. The results were truly encouraging with over 1,000 participants attending these services. Among the locations selected this year to receive funding were several important and influential synagogues: Young israel of Scarsdale, in westchester county, NY; congregation Torat Emet, the modern Orthodox synagogue in columbus, OH, which counts the renowned philanthropic Schottenstein family as founders and

19 PROGRAMMING update members; the BAcH (Bachurei chemed), a popular outreach synagogue on Long Beach (Nassau county, Long island); Adereth El, an important synagogue in manhattan s murray Hill midtown neighborhood; and The Bialystoker Synagogue on the Lower East Side, a historical Jewish community that is experiencing a resurgence due to the popularity of the neighboring communities of SoHo and Greenwich village. Feedback from the High Holiday Beginners Services: As is often the case, the people who attended the High Holiday Beginners Services were deeply affected: A mother and daughter thanked me very much for helping them understand the Avodah [the ancient Temple service] of Yom kippur a little better. They said that was a section of the Yom kippur service that they never really understood and that our conversations really helped them get it. rabbi ari neuman, Assistant Rabbi, congregation Torat Emet, columbus, OH The success reported by NJOP s partner locations inspires us to continue to search for new ways to engage Jews across North America: Scarsdale s Rabbi Nuriel klinger described that of their 60 plus participants in their High Holiday Beginners Service, approximately 40% were non-members who came because they either saw a flyer or through word of mouth... There were some people in the group who could not read Hebrew, and a couple of people did not know what Rosh Hashana was altogether. The participants enjoyed and appreciated the service. The synagogue also reported that of the members who attended their High Holiday Beginners Service, many were either not familiar with the basics of davening or had been looking for a service with more explanation and singing and were delighted with the experience they had. SuKKOT ACROSS AMERICA unlike last year, no hurricanes impeded this year s Sukkot holiday celebrations. NJOP is proud to report that there were 72 successful SukkOT AcROSS AmERicA events held during the 2016 campaign. Based on the reports, over 3,400 men, women and children participated in this year s joyful celebration of the Sukkot holiday. As has been the case in previous years, many of this year s participants had never before sat in a sukkah or waved the four species. many partner locations also noted that they had numerous people join them at their Sukkot program who did not normally attend their regular programs.

20 PROGRAMMING update SukkOT AcROSS AmERicA was celebrated this year in 22 u.s. States, in Ontario, canada, and in Johannesburg, South Africa. Grouping the numbers by denomination, the event took place in 12 Orthodox synagogues; 12 Lubavitch centers; 12 kiruv centers (including 4 on campuses); 13 conservative synagogues; 2 Reform synagogues; 19 campus-based locations; 1 Traditional and 1 non-denominational synagogue. Quotes about SukkoT AcRoSS AmERIcA: This was our first SukkOT AcROSS AmERicA experience, so we were unable to compare it to previous years and the growth of the individuals between years past and now. However, we saw the event have a profound impact on many of the [college] students, as both an introduction to Hillel and to Judaism. Several of the students who celebrated their first Sukkot with us joined us the following night for our crash course in Basic Judaism class, also sponsored by NJOP, and were ready and eager to ask questions and learn more about the holiday we had just celebrated, as well as other facets about Judaism, Jewish holidays, history and israel. matt lorch, Hillel at the university of Oklahoma, Norman, Ok Just to share a small story from the event this year: A girl walked up and asked if there are any veggie burgers. we responded that of course we had. when she asked why we have a whole lemon on the table, i put her patty on the grill and explained to her the idea behind the lulav and etrog representing different parts of the body and that the lemon was really like our heart. She shook them for the first time in her life and since then also came to Simchat Torah (another first). rabbi yehoshua schwartz, Boston university, Ou-JLic, Boston, ma READ HEBREW AMERICA AND CANADA - Hebrew Reading Crash Course in order to accommodate this year s leap year holiday schedule, which resulted in the High Holidays and Sukkot occurring in October, NJOP ran an extended schedule for REAd HEBREw AmERicA ANd canada, including classes beginning at any time between September 4th and december 23rd. during this time period, 439 classes were offered in 39 states, 2 canadian provinces, South Africa and Portugal.

21 PROGRAMMING update Quotes about REAd HEBREW AmERIcA ANd canada: we had a good turnout with the Hebrew 1 class and we received a lot of positive responses after word has gotten around this time how enjoyable our classes were and we were able to connect with other Jewish congregations in the area, as a result... Even though we don t have a rabbi, the guidance from your organization, NJOP and its website have led us in a positive direction. we are grateful for your support and hard work. Pat trujillo, Hazzan, Temple Beth Am, San Jacinto, ca [Two of my students] are amazing. Both are, by their own admission, Hebrew School dropouts. (i am thinking of writing a song/parody for them from the Grease musical s Beauty School dropout. i ll keep you posted.) One is in her early 60s, and the other is in his early 70s, i believe. They have reconnected with their Hebrew and are reading beautifully. melinda Freed, Temple Emanuel of South Hills, Pittsburgh, PA CHANuKAH ACROSS AMERICA At the behest of mr. Sam domb and with his personal financial support, NJOP created and launched its newest holiday program, chanukah AcROSS AmERicA. in a new and innovative means of interacting with our partners, this first chanukah AcROSS AmERicA was designed to serve as both a subsidized event and a contest. NJOP challenged synagogues and Jewish organizations to engage as many Jews as possible in the mitzvah of lighting the menorah on the fifth night of chanukah. Each participating synagogue/jewish center had the possibility of winning one of four $1,000 prizes based on a combination of the following criteria: the most creative, impactful and educational program that reached the most people on the designated night. A concurrent contest was run on social media, offering prizes to NJOP social media followers who promoted and shared the chanukah lighting experience throughout social media. The participating locations for chanukah AcROSS AmERicA devised some interesting means to engage their local Jewish populations. while many opted for traditional chanukah parties, others created and advertised unique components to catch the eyes of young and old. chabad of Plano, TX, sponsored a chanukah Funland, attracting 350 people, half of whom were experiencing their first chanukah experience this year. kol Emeth in Palo Alto, ca, ran a family-friendly chanukah Hootenanny which attracted 100 people.

22 PROGRAMMING update unexpectedly, two locations opted to stress chesed (acts of kindness). Temple Beth Am in merrick, NY, brought volunteers representing their Hebrew school to a local hospital to visit Jewish patients and bring light to them in difficult circumstances, while Aish cleveland, OH, which works with the Russian immigrant community, spent the fifth night of chanukah packing packages for needy Jewish families in the cleveland area. Tallying the information received from the 16 locations that were accepted as contestants, NJOP approximates that over 7,800 people participated in programs around the country and across the denominational spectrum. The partners devised plans that were extremely diverse and exceptionally creative, allowing NJOP and its partners to fulfill the mandate of pirsumei nisa, publicizing the mitzvah of chanukah candle-lighting, on a whole new level. Conclusion For nearly 30 years, NJOP has been dedicated to strengthening the Jewish people by providing accessible educational opportunities and positive, joyous Jewish experiences. Over these three decades, the focus and needs of the Jewish community have shifted, requiring NJOP to step up to the challenge of capturing individual attention. By sharing its wide assortment of educational tools, from printed sources to social media memes, NJOP continues to empower our partners to positively impact yet another generation of Jews in order to engage them in Jewish life and bask in the richness of our magnificent Jewish heritage.

23 NJOP SOCIAL MEDIA: jewish TREATS This past NJOP s Twitterfeed, hit the remarkable milestone of 60,000 followers (it has gained 2.5 k more since consistently presents on-topic articles connecting Jewish life to every aspect of the modern world, from world events to medical breakthroughs. it has been particularly successful at catching surprising and unexpected moments of Jewish life, such as when Sheket Bevakasha (Hebrew for Be Quiet Please ) was used twice on Primetime Tv and Jewish Treats quickly shared it with its broad receives an average daily rate of 13,500 impressions via Twitter and its posts are seen on Facebook and instagram as well. As NJOP s social media brand, Jewish Treats strives to excel at offering positive, joyous Jewish experiences and meaningful educational opportunities. Following the tradition of studying Pirkei Avot/Ethics of the Fathers during the seven weeks between Passover and Shavuot, Jewish Treats launched a #Jewishwisdom series of social media posters based on the words of the sages found therein. Some posters had as many as 10,000 impressions between Twitter, Facebook and instagram posts. in addition to its independent role as a source of Jewish information online, Jewish Treats promotes and supports all of NJOP s programs. it was primarily through NJOP s Jewish Treats social media platforms that Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald s unique SHABBAT AcROSS AmERicA ANd canada promotional campaign, launched at last year s dinner, was shared with the public. The Shabbat Party campaign, in which Rabbi Buchwald announced his candidacy for President of the united States, on the platform of legislating A day of Rest, was centered around four videos broadcast over social media. The first video introduced the candidate

24 NJOP SOCIAL MEDIA: jewish TREATS and his wife, the second followed him on the campaign trail as he promoted Shabbat on the streets of manhattan, the third simulated a news talk show where he advocated for institutionalizing A day of Rest in the united States and the fourth saw him going from house-to-house, bringing the joy of Shabbat to unsuspecting families and individuals. while the NJOP staff organized and promoted chanukah AcROSS AmERicA among synagogues and Jewish centers (read more about the chanukah AcROSS AmERicA program in the Programming update), there was also a simultaneous, complimentary chanukah AcROSS AmERicA contest launched on social media for individuals. NJOP invited Jewish Treat s 75,000 social media followers to share the mitzvah of publicizing the miracle on the fifth night of chanukah The online audience was asked to publicly show their Jewish pride by uploading a picture of their own lit menorah on social media for all of their friends, family and followers to see while using the special hashtag #chanukahacrossamerica. This created a special community of people celebrating chanukah together with NJOP and one another. Each person essentially and virtually invited others into their home to see their lit menorah. To encourage full participation, all those who posted with the specified hashtag and liked/followed Jewish Treats had a chance to win a $100 gift card. The #chanukahacrossamerica campaign reached beyond North America, and Jewish Treats even received entries from israel and one from cairo, Egypt. The very last entry of the evening came from Honolulu, Hawaii!

25 SCROLL OF HONOR Benefactor barad family in memory of Ulo Barad, z l Jay Domb Michelle Domb ronald Domb Sam Domb Thank you to Rabbi Buchwald for all the help he does for the Jewish People. Am Yisrael Chai cindy barad elias Sarah and earl n. Feldman Sylvia Freyer Harry Krakowski in memory of Israel and Elli Krakowski and Sara Domb, z l Madeline and Dr. Mark Lebwohl in memory of Zachary and Jennie Lebwohl, z l Sherri and Dr. nathan Lebwohl in memory of Zachary and Jennie Lebwohl, z l oscar and Vida Lebwohl in memory of Zachary and Jennie Lebwohl, z l Zachary and Jennie Lebwohl endowment amy and Mitchell Kase ruth nelkin in honor of Amy and Mitchell Kase and in memory of Harold Nelkin, z l and Les Nelkin, z l ingeborg and ira rennert carolyn and Marc rowan Danielle and paul J. Taubman Dr. Thelma Warshaw Builder David eisenstein pam and George rohr Jane and Warren Weiss The applebaum Foundation in loving memory of Leila and Joseph Applebaum, z l Guardian pamela and alec ellison bernard Goldberg allan S. Gordon Dr. rachel and Timothy Gordon The allan S. Gordon Foundation Howard and Sandra Hoffen Pacesetter peggy and paul p. bernstein Lotte and Ludwig bravmann Wendy and brandon Dunn estate of Lillian Gross Margot and Fred Kann Dr. ellie carmody and Daniel Stone

26 SCROLL OF HONOR Guarantor renée and Steven adelsberg Danielle Ullendorff David Ullendorff Doris Ullendorff Jackie Ullendorff regina Ullendorff, ob m The Ullendorff Memorial Foundation Valerie and charles Diker Suzan and Fred ehrman Sheryl and ernest elias ruth and David Gottesman The Gottesman Fund eliana and Vladimir Gutin in honor of Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald estate of Sylvia Holder Shannon and andrew penson rachel and Harry Skydell Janet and Saul Spitz in honor of Rabbi Ephraim and Aidel Buchwald Judy and Michael Steinhardt Michele Tocci The David berg Foundation Miriam and Jeffrey Zuckerman in honor of Aidel and Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Sponsor Meira and Tom Fleisch in memory of Eleanor Fleisch, z l Susan Hecht and David cohen Michael and Sandra Hecht in honor of Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald yaakov r. Kronfeld Supporter Tova and assaf alster in honor of Aidel and Rabbi Buchwald rosalyn and ronald binday Susan and robert chambré in honor of Beverly and Leonard Davidman Karen and andrew Duell caryl and israel englander in honor of Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald Dana and adam Fine robin and neil Goldberg robin Gordon bill and Dassa Greenbaum in honor of Tova and Assaf Alster and Beverly and Leonard Davidman and in memory of Robert and Theodora Greenbaum, z l Vicki and Samuel Katz Linda and ilan Kaufthal in honor of David Eisner

27 SCROLL OF HONOR Marilyn and eliot Lauer in memory of Dr. Edward L. Steinberg, z l Leora and richard Linhart in honor of Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald ellen and Mordecai Lipkis amy and Seth Litzenblatt The b.l. Manger Foundation, inc. Jennifer and Joseph Morris rose Moskowitz Florence norych Fern and Louis oppenheim Kayla and Leonard G. rosen in honor of Rabbi Buchwald carol and Lawrence Saper in honor of Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald and the celebration of NJOP's 29 years Judith and isaac Sherman rona and andrew Steinerman Donor aidel and rabbi ephraim buchwald Lilly and alfred Friedman Shifra and perry Garber in memory of Freida Ita Wendum, z l and in memory of Jacob Wendum (Yaacov Hakohen), z l elliot and Debbie Gibber Ken and adriana Gordon rachel and binyomin Gutman Laurel e. Henschel in memory of Leonard and Judith Henschel, z l Toby and ronny Hersh beth and Joshua Mermelstein ronna and William F. Tanenbaum in memory of Reina Tanenbaum, z l natasha and coby Zekry in memory of Amram Zekry, z l Sustainer polly and Gabriel bousbib bella and Stephen brenner in honor of Lenny and Beverly Davidman Maurice Friedman bryna and Joshua Landes in memory of Elizabeth Shuchat Schwartz, z l rabia and oliver Mitchell Shahina and ari Moses ruth and Jack raisner in honor of Rabbi Ephraim Z. Buchwald Dr. elliott rosch alice and Stephen Shapiro Susan and Scott Shay in honor of Rabbi Buchwald and his tireless efforts over the years and in memory of George Shay, z l and Jerry Rothenberg, z l adina and philip Wagman in honor of Amy and Mitchell Kase Leader rabbi Hyman and ann arbesfeld

28 SCROLL OF HONOR Martin baumrind in memory of Yehudit bat Yaakov, z l Miriam and Dr. Marvin belsky Jennifer and Saul burian carole and Jack Forgash Lenny and estelle Glass Glazer capital, LLc Jeffrey Grossman Sharon and Sinclair Haberman and Devora brickman Janice and yra Harris Fanya Gottesfeld Heller Mrs. Joan Jakubovitz and Family The Jesselson Family nancy and philip Katz orly and Tati Klimovsky Karen and Mitchell Kuflik in honor of Robin Gordon chava and yosef Maccaba Deborah and robert Marcus Judith Kirshenbaum and Monroe Milstein in memory of Wendy Kirshenbaum, z l Jamie and David Mitchell neumark and Kramer Families in memory of Debby Neumark, z l whose unique talents contributed to the success of NJOP Gail propp rella Feldman and Family beryl Korot and Steve reich bruce z l and Michele ritholtz charitable Fund in honor of Rabbi Ephraim and Aidel Buchwald for their profound impact on Klal Yisrael Vivian and Henry rosenberg Drs. Kathy Halton and Marc a. rosenblatt in honor of Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald elizabeth and rabbi Gidon rothstein Michelle and eli Salig Drs. arlene & Michael Schulder in honor of Beverly and Leonard Davidman Joe Sprung and Family in honor of Rabbi and Rebbetzin Ephraim Buchwald Shimmy and evy Stein in memory of HaRav Moshe ben Shlomo, z l and Dinah bat HaRav Moshe, z l Helga Weisburger in honor of Rabbi Buchwald and in memory of Dana Hudes, z l, and Roslyn Halpern, z l Howard and Tova Weiser in honor of Mordechai and Sema Reich.Yasher Koach to Rabbi Ephraim and Aidel Buchwald on the wonderful work of NJOP Laurie and richard Wolff Patron ari bernstein Judy and David carmel rina and andrew Fleisch in honor of Rabbi Buchwald, Pessah, Cecillie Siegler and in memory of Ellie Fleisch (Elisheva bat Curtis)