OUR HONOREES
Esther & Paul Lerer
Guests of Honor
Esther (Nagel) Lerer, originally from Los Angeles is the proud daughter of holocaust survivor parents, where she learned firsthand the importance of giving back, tikun olam and helping her fellow Jew. Together with Paul, who grew up in Lawrence, New York, they both share their love for the State of Israel through the many organizations and schools that they support. They believe strongly in providing an education for ALL people, and the importance of providing social services to help those in need.
Esther is a long time Board Member and currently is a National Executive Officer for Emunah of America. Esther represents Emunah as a delegate at the World Zionist Organization and American Zionist Organization. Esther has participated in several missions, the most noteworthy mission was during Operation Protective Edge in 2014 where she assisted in getting over 90 people to participate and travel to Israel, days after the outbreak of the war. In 2015 Esther participated in the Women’s Leadership Mission. Esther was the National Emunah Dinner Chair in 2012, a Spring Luncheon Committee member and has been instrumental in organizing many local Englewood Chapter events.
Dr Paul Lerer is a medical gastroenterologist for the past 32 years in Summit and Westfield, New Jersey. A former Chief of GI at Overlook Hospital, and is the past President of the Gastro Surgery Center in Mountainside, New Jersey. A graduate of Yeshiva University, he has dedicated his life to health care and medical education.
Esther and Paul have been married for 35 years, and are the proud parents of Jessica and Daniel Yunger, Adam and Nurit Lerer, Bianca and Davis Pineles, and Marlon Lerer. They are blessed with four grandchildren, Murray, Phoebe, George and Juliette.
Emunah of America is proud and honored to have Esther and Paul as this years Guests of Honor. Esther and Paul's unwavering commitment to Emunah of America is truly a gift to our organization, and their love for Israel and the children and families of Emunah is truly inspiring!
Michelle Salig
Keter Shem Tov Award
Michelle Salig grew up in Kew Gardens, New York, she currently resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where she is a member of Lincoln Square Synagogue, and Lawrence, New York, where she is a member of the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst. Michelle is a graduate of Stern College.
Michelle currently sits on the Emunah National Board and has a long standing history and involvement with Emunah. She is a Past Chair of the Emunah Dinner and has hosted many Emunah events in her home. Has been a Chairperson for the Emunah Mishloach Manot program of Manhattan. Michelle's involvement in Emunah is not hers alone, her daughters have volunteered in the Emunah summer programs and celebrated and their Bat Mitzvas at Bet Elazrachi.
Michelle comes from a family that understands chesed and upholding strong Jewish values. Her parents, Rabbi Hyman and Ann Arbesfeld, donated a Sefer Torah to Bet Elazrachi and dedicated an "Anshei Chinuch Program" which provides additional Torah learning for its children in the home.
Michelles communal involvement expands to far reaches in our Jewish Community to support and help klal yisroel. Michelle is currently the president of the Yeshiva University Women's Organization, and is a volunteer for the Bikur Cholim of Manhattan. As well, she was the past president of the Manhattan Day School Parents Association.
Michelle is married to Eli Salig, a Management Consultant focusing on Human Resource issues. They are proud parents of Daniella & Sam Schertz, and Margalit, and have two grandchildren, Yehuda and Kayla.
Melanie Oelbaum
Lifetime Achievement Award
Melanie was an only child, who was born in Vienna into a Torah observant home, surrounded by love and strengthened by their commitment to Torah. With the advent of the Holocaust, Melanie's life was shattered along with millions of Jews. Her parents A"H perished in concentration camps. As a young child, Melanie escaped extermination by being included in a children's transport that brought her alone out of the inferno of Europe to America to live with an aunt, uncle and cousins. In 1951, Melanie and Maurice A"H met and got married in America and joined their Zionist dreams and their commitment to Israel and the Jewish people. While raising two wonderful children, Ronnie Faber and Victor Oelbaum, Melanie turned her thoughts and her energies to all Jewish children who needed her and other people like her, who were committed to lives of faith and who understood their role to help care for the EMUNAH children and families in Israel.
Melanie became President of the Rachel Benjamin Chapter in Crown Heights and five years later, Melanie became the National President of Emunah of America. Through Melanie's visionary creativity, Melanie initiated many new events, which raised much desperately needed dollars for Israel. Among the many programs that Melanie started, was Emunah's first ever National Dinner. And then, in the summer of '67, immediately after the Six Day War, Melanie and Maurice A"H went on an unforgettable trip to Israel- Melanie's first trip! The impact of this trip and the benefits to EMUNAH as a result are, today, immeasurable. From this trip came inspiration! This was her inspiration to start the Missions Department. Melanie knew that once our EMUNAH members and others saw for themselves the vital life changing work of EMUNAH, they would be there to help and support us. The first trip was in 1968- 80 people visited Israel under the auspices of EMUNAH. Thousands of people travelled to Israel to see the scope of EMUNAH's work, and because of what they saw, they decided to support our EMUNAH facilities in Israel, and thus many projects were expanded and started. To this day, our Leadership and Bar/ Bat Mitzvah trips to Israel continue to inspire all of us to help and support our brothers and sisters, who count on us to help them become independent and productive citizens of the State of Israel.
Thank G-d, Melanie's family grew, as Ronnie married Albie Faber and Victor married Frieda Tuchman. Melanie is blessed with amazing children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, all of whom are following in Melanie and Maurice's A"H footsteps. May Hashem continue to give Melanie the strength to continue her work on behalf of EMUNAH families.
Thank G-d, Melanie's family grew, as Ronnie married Albie Faber and Victor married Frieda Tuchman. Melanie is blessed with amazing children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, all of whom are following in Melanie and Maurice's A"H footsteps. May Hashem continue to give Melanie the strength to continue her work on behalf of EMUNAH families.
Shira Ben-David
Young Leadership Award
Shira Ben-David is from Chicago and is currently studying at New York University. Shira is majoring in Psychology with a minor in Child Adolescent Mental Health Studies.
Neve Michael Children’s Village has held a special place in Shira's heart and she feels lucky to have the opportunity to volunteer there. Shira has been a coordinator on the Emunah Kol HaNearim summer program for the past three summers and has been dedicated to creating a fun environment for the children. Shira says "I am passionate about bettering the lives of endangered youth and participate in volunteer projects in New York and Israel."
Emunah is proud and grateful to have a young leader like Shira Ben-David, ensuring the future of the next generation of volunteers.