40 Years in Teaneck â€¦ and now aliyah

B’nai Yisrael took 40 years to get to Israel. So too, we have spent 40 years in Teaneck. That’s a long time in one community. We are now leaving to make Aliyah on the Nefesh B’nefesh flight this Monday.

We came to Teaneck with our 7-month-old son. The town had very few kosher establishments, no pizza store, and no mikvah. We joined Congregation Beth Aaron, which was just getting its variance. Beth Aaron started in one congregant’s home and then moved to someone’s basement. As the congregation grew, services were in the Eugene Field School, the present Board of Education building. Then Dr. Stuart Litwin, who practiced at 950 Queen Anne Road, offered his office for services. When he decided to move, Beth Aaron bought the house and office and it became its permanent home. The small membership all participated in each other’s smachot. We couldn’t wait to welcome new families. As we outgrew the space, there were many renovations until the building was knocked down and a new shul was built. We were all there to help each other. We had faith that the shul and community would grow, and so it did.

Our children grew up here, attending the local day school, Moriah, participated in the Teaneck Recreation Center, sports and arts, soccer, Beth Aaron youth programs, and NCSY.

Each of our three children married, started families, and decided that Israel was really the place to live. One by one, they made aliyah. Grandchildren came, but we were 6,000 miles away. So, we made the decision to join them and make aliyah, too.

It will be very bittersweet leaving the friends and community that we love, but with that comes the excitement of moving to Israel to be with our children and grandchildren. We will miss Teaneck very much.

Let’s pray that God will protect us and we will have peace.

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