2017 Dinner

Rabbi Shmuel and Barbara Goldin have served at the spiritual helm of our synagogue for
33 years. Under their stewardship Congregation Ahavath Torah has grown into one of the
largest, most diverse and most influential Orthodox synagogues in America. Rabbi and
Barbara Goldin's impact upon our community has been immeasurable and the deep personal
relationships that they have forged are too numerous to count.

An articulate spokesman for the Orthodox community, Rabbi Goldin taught for over
twenty years as instructor of Bible and Philosophy at the Isaac Breuer College and the
James Striar School of Yeshiva University. He continues to appear as a visiting scholar and lecturer in a wide variety of settings across the globe. He is a Past President of the Rabbinical Council of America (RCA), the world's largest association of Orthodox rabbis, and currently occupies the critical role of chairman of the committee overseeing the RCA's policies and standards for conversion to Judaism. He has served as President of the Rabbinic Alumni Association of Yeshiva University, President of the Rabbinical Council of Bergen County and continues to hold posts on the boards of countless local, national and global organizations. Rabbi Goldin's influence on the Jewish community at large was reflected in his inclusion in Newsweek's list of "America's Top 50 Rabbis for 2012" and in the "Forward 50," Forward magazine's list of Jewish communal leaders who have made a difference in the community at large.

Rabbi and Barbara Goldin are the recipients of numerous awards from national, Israeli and local organizations for their decades
of service to the Jewish community. They have led congregational missions to Israel, particularly during critical times. Under
Rabbi Goldin's guidance, Congregation Ahavath Torah traveled to Israel many times during the first and second intifadas and
was the first American synagogue to visit Israel during the Iraqi scud attacks. In August 2002 Rabbi Goldin helped create and
lead the first international "Rally in Israel" which brought a group of over 250 people to Israel to march for solidarity with Israeli
citizens. “Rally in Israel II” took place in November 2002 and brought close to 700 participants. In 2008, during "Operation Cast
Lead," Rabbi Goldin organized and led an emergency RCA mission to Israel and during 2014's "Operation Protective Edge," he
organized and led a mission of almost 80 participants.

Rabbi Goldin's five volume set on the Torah, Unlocking the Torah Text-Gefen Publishing Company and OU Publishers, has earned
wide popular and critical acclaim in the broader Jewish community. He is currently at work on a new Haggadah, due for
publication early next year. Rabbi Goldin has published and continues to publish articles on a wide variety of issues of current
concern to the Jewish community.

Barbara Goldin, nee Leifer, is a graduate of Stern College for Women. She holds a degree in Speech Pathology from Montclair
State University and has been active in many settings in that field. Mrs. Goldin partners with Rabbi Goldin in all of his
activities on a local and national level and has been instrumental, often behind-the-scenes, in many synagogue programs. Rabbi
Goldin insists that Barbara has initiated the greater share of successful projects in which they have been involved.Rabbi Goldin and Barbara are the proud parents of Avi & Rena, Rabbi Yosef & Shifra, Rabbi Yehuda & Noa, Donny & Tamara and Rivka & Kivi, and thank God, an ever-growing brood of grandchildren – Isaac, Ben, Jacob, Julia, Temima, Chaim, Yehudit, Dovie, Rachel, Mordechai, Penina and Olivia.