Rep. Gottheimer hosts Fifth District ‘Hometown Heroes’ awards
U.S. Representative Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ Dist. 5) honored 21 North Jersey residents as Fifth District Hometown Heroes. The lifesaving first responders, including veterans, volunteers, community leaders, and residents, were acknowledged for their dedication to helping improve the lives of their neighbors, families, and communities. The ceremony was held at the Hackensack Performing Arts Center. Rabbi Mendy Kaminker of Chabad of Hackensack gave the invocation.
The honorees included Moshe Berow of Fair Lawn, who owns the Fair Lawn Roadhouse, a kosher barbecue restaurant. Just months after it opened in a local strip mall, the mall burned down. Determined to keep serving his community, Mr. Berow continued cooking and eventually reopened his restaurant across town. He volunteers with Chaverim of Bergen County, a non-medical emergency service organization. He’s also on the Fair Lawn Zoning Board, where he fights to protect property owners while ensuring the community is safe.
“If you tune into cable or go onto social media, there is far more attention these days on what’s going wrong with America, and far too little attention on what’s going right,” Mr. Gottheimer said. “But then, stories crop up here and there of a firefighter rescuing a young girl from a burning building, or a high school athlete reassuring kids just like him that not even cancer can stop your dreams. You realize that we just don’t spend enough time showcasing all the good that happens every day — not enough time recognizing what it means to be a great citizen in the greatest country in the world.”
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