To our parents:

Carol and Don Berger
Your involvement in the Young Israel of Kew Gardens Hills

and working with the Mother-in-Israel project

of Mizrachi/Amit, starting long before we were born, has been an inspiration

to our own participation in so many community activities. 
We are so grateful that you are accepted as surrogate members

of the greater YINR family and pray that you will again soon
be able to daven with us together in our beloved shul.

Muncie Mandel
Although you moved to New Rochelle later in life, you immediately

became part of the fabric of this community.
It is hard to believe you have only been here around ten years.
We are all inspired and blessed by your presence and scholarship

and you have undoubtedly enhanced the lives

of so many members of this kehillah.

Love,

Rachel and Gary
 

To the Members of the Young Israel of New Rochelle
 
Thank you for enveloping our family with love and compassion. 

We are honored to be a part of this amazing community. With heartfelt gratitude,

we celebrate the heroes among us, the selfless women and men who have performed

tremendous acts of chesed during these challenging days, offering assistance, compassion

and love to countless individuals.  We are forever indebted to you.
 
Yvette and Jack Finkelstein
 

To the Members of the YINR Board
 
Your leadership truly makes a difference in the way our shul operates and in maintaining

the cohesiveness that exemplifies YINR.  Keeping transparency in mind, you reach out

to the community with plans and ideas and welcome members' input.

Thank you for the hours and hours of time you devote to YINR.
 
Yvette and Jack Finkelstein
 
 

To Rabbi Fink and Abby Fink,
 
Your leadership of the New Rochelle community is unprecedented with your combination of intelligence, dedication and loving kindness.  During a personally difficult time for our family and, now, during a trying time in our community, you have exhibited the strength, guidance and fortitude to lead us forward toward better times. The toll on you both must be tremendous and yet, you continue to offer consolation, when needed, as well as beautiful messages

of guidance and hope.

 Yvette and Jack Finkelstein
 
 
To Rabbi Axelrod and Yael Axelrod,
 
Your presence in New Rochelle is a glorious experience for all of us.  The contributions you have made through your many shiurim, your calm and purposeful leadership and the joy and kavanah you exhibit on a daily basis are immeasurable.  We celebrate both of you and your adorable children.  May your future continue to be as bright and as extraordinary as both of you!
 
Yvette and Jack Finkelstein
 

To Barbara Bolshon and Rhetta Kaplan,
 
Thank you for being on-call for the myriad questions you have answered

and the needs you have met during your many years of serving YINR. 

Your "service-with-a-smile" was appreciated on so many levels.
 
To Amy Stein and Isio Jacobovitz,
 
Welcome aboard!  You have risen to the occasion of the many challenges

we are all encountering.  Thank you for your excellent assistance.
 
To Mira and Anton and Family,
 
Thank you for caring so much about the YINR community and for taking care

of all of us in so many ways.  You are both charming, obliging and accepting

of our many requests.  We are grateful to you in so many ways. 
 
Fondly,
Yvette and Jack
 

Dear Tamar and Lynda,
 I think you didn't realize how much hand-holding you would have to do!  Thank you so much for the many conversations, the advice and suggestions you so graciously shared with me. 

The coffee was great, the friendship unprecedented.  Your patience, your excellent writing, your gracious acceptance of requests and your exemplary organizational skills were amazing! 

After being put "on-hold," you resurrected the YINR Dinner plans and moved forward

to create a virtual event and uplifting experience for us all.
 I am so grateful to you both.  You have become my role models in life! Thank you!
 Love,
Yvette

 

Dear Judy,
 
As Co-Chair of the YINR Dinner 2020 you were gifted with an extraordinary challenge. 

With your usual efficiency and calm demeanor, you managed to shift gears

to a "virtual" experience that would provide an uplifting experience

for our community.
 
Thank you for your dedication to YINR.
 
Love,
Yvette
 

To Teri Rosengarten and Ellie Goldenberg,
 
With the responsibilities of being "Journal Chairs," difficult roles to play in the best of times, you have overseen a massive task with good humor and patience. 

Thank you for your diligence and your dedication to YINR.
 
Yvette and Jack

 

 To Deena Zlotnick, Lauren Bochner, Beatriz Nivasch, Nina Roisman, Sarra Lorbert,

Marc Berger, Andrea Samet, Evan Jerome and the Agaves,

Stan Weiss, Alyson Seidman and Stan Adler,
 
Your involvement in the YINR Dinner 2020 has been met with efficiency, creativity

and dedication.  Thank you so much for your dedication to YINR events and happenings.
 
Yvette and Jack
 

 

Dear Judy and Ayala,
 
You two are being singled out, with love and admiration, because you are both amazing! Working quietly and efficiently behind-the-scenes, we appreciate that the success of the YINR Dinner can be attributed to the efficiency and kindness of two lovely people - the two of you.  You are both friends, role-models and exceptional women.  I am so lucky to travel within your orbit!
 
Love,
Yvette
 
 
 To Evelyn,
 
Thank you for accepting the responsibility of creating a dinner profile for a very picky person.  You are the consummate professional, both patient and knowledgeable.
 
With love and admiration,
Yvette
 

To our wonderful family,
 
It is your presence in my life that encouraged me to accept this honor.  You and your families

have made daddy and me so proud!  You are exceptionally wonderful people, adults

and kids alike, who understand the importance of community

and maintaining a lifestyle dedicated to Torah and chesed.
 
You are the shining lights that guide and encourage me to move forward.  You have enveloped 

daddy and me with love and caring.  You stayed glued to our dear Robby's side when he was ill

and needed your support.  You have maintained your devotion to us and have encouraged

our involvement in your families' lives.  We are blessed to be surrounded by all of you -

the many Finkelstein's in America and the Harow/Thau family in Israel. 

We are separated by miles, but bound together with love and caring.
 
Thank you for celebrating with dad and me!
 
Love,
Mom and Dad
 

To the YINR Community:

We are both flattered and proud to be this year's YINR Dinner honorees.

 Flattered, because there are so many other worthy people in the shul,

and proud to have spent the last 20 years as part of this community.

  Our four beautiful children have been privileged to be raised in an atmosphere

of this close-knit, chessed-minded, warm community, and it has been our pleasure

and honor to contribute and participate in shul life.  
When it became clear that the March 15 Dinner had to be cancelled,

we were a bit numb.  At the time it just felt like our world was falling apart.

 Our children were being ripped away from the lives they were living,

our parents were isolated, family members were sick.  Yet, slowly

but surely our world has returned, albeit virtually.  Although our building

stands empty, it is still the link that holds us together.
This virtual dinner is about taking back the lives that were stripped from us

by this pandemic.  And we are grateful for the opportunity

to help the shul carry on and grateful to you all for celebrating with us.
Mi K'Amcha Yisrael!

Rachel and Gary
 

 

Best Wishes to Young Israel Honorees,

 

Rachel and Gary Berger,

 

a wonderful couple whose beneficence has been felt by

innumerable members of our shul, including us.

 

Thank you Gary for your kind attentiveness and expertise when we had medical emergencies.

Your reputation as an outstanding plastic surgeon is well deserved. 

Perhaps more importantly, you are a true mentsch.
 

Rachel, you are well known for your unmatched culinary skills. Your pastry creations

are both mouth wateringly delicious and aesthetically beautiful. You are a whiz in the kitchen,

cooking up fabulous meals for family and friends to savor.  Thank you for your delightful

Ruach food demonstrations and for preparing yummy meals for us when we needed help.
Mazal Tov to you both on a well-deserved honor.

 

Affectionately, 

Ellen and Stanley Wasserman 

Congratulations to 

 

Yvette Finkelstein,

 

Distinguished Leadership Awardee.
 

Yvette,

 

you epitomize the consummate leader - intelligent, visionary, passionate,

persuasive, self confident, and gifted with the ability to rally others to happily implement

your innovative ideas. Several years ago you initiated our successful Women's Initiative

for Jewish Studies, and last year you introduced IShine to our Westchester community

in memory of your dear son, Robert. You and your dear husband Jack are true pillars

of our community whom we greatly admire for your grace, elegance, humility,

and deep abiding faith in G-d, in both good times and bad.                                                                                              

Mazal Tov on your well-deserved honor.

 

With Our Fondest Wishes, 

Ellen and Stanley Wasserman

Congratulations to

 

Rachel and Gary Berger

on this well deserved honor. Thank you for your generosity, kindness and commitment

to the YINR community. We have turned to you both professionally and personally,

have enjoyed working on community efforts together

and of course sharing joint family smachot.

We are very appreciative of your friendship.

 

Yvette,

We are proud to recognize you for all your hard work and incredible efforts

which have greatly enhanced both the YINR and greater Westchester community.

You are a role model and friend to all - creative, hard working, kind and thoughtful -

and of course an absolute class act! We are grateful to both you and Jack

for your wonderful friendship.

 

We wish both the Bergers and Finkelsteins

continued good health and strength to continue all of your incredible work

and express our sincere Hakarat Hatov to you both.

 

Love,

Lauryn and Kenny Weiser

Mazal Tov

Rachel and Gary
 
Two multi-talented individuals, benefiting YINR with your broad range of abilities

and your willingness to lead and give of yourselves to our shul and community.

Thank you for all you have done for YINR for over two decades,

and may you continue in your good work for many years to come.
 

Mazal Tov

Yvette

A great lady and a great leader.  Thank you for everything you do

for so many children and adults at YINR and beyond.

We have total and utter admiration for you and are so honored to be your friend.
 

Mazel Tov to 

 

Rachel and Gary Berger

 

on this well-deserved honor.

Gary-you are always there when people need you

and we appreciate it!

Rachel-your dedication to the shul

and community knows no bounds!

 

To

 

Yvette 

 

You are a person who knows how to get things done!

When you have a vision, you know how to execute it!

 

Mazel Tov on your honor.

Benay and Ira Meisels

Dear

 

Yvette,

 

We are so happy to Celebrate You!

This Community is much indebted to you

for all your Many Years of service, both to the YINR
as well as to the Westchester Day School.

Kol HaKavod!!

 

To

 

Rachel and Gary,

 

with gratitude for your dedication

to YINR. 

 

Lisa and Leon Meyers

Mazal Tov

 

Rachel and Gary

 

in honor of your ongoing dedication, devotion, commitment

and service to YINR and the community!

 

You both light up the world with your immeasurable kindness, love,

empathy, generosity, purity of hearts and authenticity of your ways.

You are pillars of strength and sources of inspiration;

examples of humanity to be emulated.

 

May Hashem bless you with good health to continue to be

a source of illumination and strength for the entire Jewish community.

 

We are so proud and love you so much.

עד מאה ועשרים שנה

 

Love,

Bubbie, Shayne and David, Asher and Baruch, Nicole, Jeremy, Max, Daniel, Rebecca,

Isaac and Zahava, Sara Baila, Simcha, Shragi, Rivkie, Elke, Hailey, Sophia and Abby

To

 

Rachel and Gary

 

Thank you for all you have done for our community and family over the many years

we have lived here together. Mutual medical advice, crazy board meetings

and high holiday seating will always be something we fondly remember.

 

To

 

Yvette

 

Thank you for all your service and dedication to the YINR community.

Your strength and devotion will never go unnoticed.

 

Mazal Tov!

 

Karen and Marvin Sperling

Congratulation and thank you to all the honorees

for all your work on behalf of YINR and Klal Yisroel.

 

A special thanks to

 

Gary and Rachel (and all the kids)

 

for sending over many home-cooked
meals (for simchas and trying times),

for stitching, stapling and setting bones

on a moment's notice and for sharing so many

family simchas and milestones.

 

We fell in love the day you ran across

our lawn to video tape Nicole

getting on the bus for her first day of school.

 

 Michael, Felecia, Toba, Miriam, Ben and Leah Stern