Dinner and dance celebrates honorees at Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley
Temple Emanuel of the Pascack Valley hosts “Dine Dance Celebrate,” a gala dinner dance at the shul on Saturday, April 14. The evening honors its “Temple GEMS” — Joan and Dan Silna, Beth and Gary Hirschberg, and Rabbi Shelly Kniaz.
Joan and Dan Silna have been members of Temple Emanuel since 1974. As part of the building committee, Dan Silna was among those who helped the shul move to Woodcliff Lake and marched with Rabbi Andre Ungar and Cantor Mark Biddelman from Westwood to Woodcliff Lake. Dan has been president of UJA-NNJ (now the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey), the YJCC in Washington Township, the Gerrard Berman Day School in Oakland, and Temple Emanuel. Joan Silna has been on the JFNNJ women’s board and on the PFA of Pascack Valley High School.
Beth and Gary Hirschberg of Woodcliff Lake are greatly involved in Jewish life in the Pascack Valley. Ms. Hirschberg, an early childhood program teacher at Temple Emanuel, was a Mommy and Me facilitator, and co-chaired a the shul’s Purim comedy night. Mr. Hirschberg has been on the board of the Jewish Home Assisted Living and he has been president of the YJCC in Washington Township and of Temple Emanuel. He was involved in the hiring of Rabbi Shelley Kniaz, the ECP director, and of the shul’s executive director. Most recently he co-chaired both the cantorial and rabbinic searches.
Rabbi Shelley Kniaz, the shul’s director of congregational learning for 10 years, stimulates learning for students, their families, and the school faculty. A curriculum writer and trainer, she has taught in synagogue and Solomon Schechter Day schools. She helped develop the Shutafut online exchange program between students in Israel and the diaspora and is on the board of JETSIsrael.
For more information, call (201) 391-0801 or go to www.tepv.org/gems.
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