OU PRESIDENT STEPHEN J. SAVITSKY TO VISIT HIGHLAND PARK, SHABBAT WEEKEND OF JANUARY 4-5, AS HE CONTINUES NORTH AMERICAN PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY TOUR
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Orthodox Union President Stephen J. Savitsky will visit Ohav Emeth Congregation and Ahavas Achim Congregation in Highland Park and Congregation Ohr Torah in Edison the weekend of January 4, to attend Shabbat services at the synagogues and to meet with their leadership and congregations.
The Highland Park-area visit will be the fourth in a planned 10-city North American Presidential Community Tour from September to June for the New York-based OU leader, as he brings the organization’s message far and wide, while at the same time receiving feedback from member congregations about their needs and how the OU can respond to them. The tour emphasizes smaller Jewish communities. In the past months, Mr. Savitsky visited Vancouver, St. Louis and Charleston.
According to Mr. Savitsky, “Each trip will be an opportunity to meet fellow Jews in an OU community and to understand their needs, the particular areas of concern they have, and how we can be of service to them.” In addition, Mr. Savitsky said, the trip will “expand upon the concept of Kol Yisroel Arevim Zeh Bah Zeh – the teaching that all Jews are responsible for one another. “
Mr. Savitsky will host an Oneg Shabbat on Friday night with the Ohav Emeth Congregation community. On Saturday at Congregation Ohr Torah –where the spiritual leader of the synagogue is Rabbi Yaakov Luban, Executive Rabbinic Coordinator of OU Kosher — he will give a discourse on Torah. Mr. Savitsky will also speak at the Ahavas Achim Congregation before Shabbat ends.
Mr. Savitsky said, “After visiting Vancouver, St. Louis and Charleston, it is always nice to be closer to home, visiting a thriving OU community, such as Highland Park. Many Highland Park residents, like Rabbi Luban of Congregation Ohr Torah, work in New York City, but at home they are part of a small Jewish community.”
The OU has a strong presence in Highland Park area, which is also the home of a NCSY chapter; NCSY is the youth program of the Orthodox Union. Chapter Director Rabbi Jonah Lerner will accompany Mr. Savitsky while he is in the area.
For more information on Mr. Savitsky’s visit contact Rabbi Bini Maryles, Director of Synagogue Services at 212-613-8226.