GUESTS OF HONOR
Larry & Valerie Kahn

Larry and Valerie Kahn, our Guests of Honor, are no strangers to the Northern New Jersey Jewish Community. Raised in nearby Fair Lawn, they were both privileged to witness and participate in the tremendous growth of the greater Jewish community in our area over the past few decades. When it was time to choose a permanent home to raise their family, Larry and Valerie chose a shul that would appreciate and welcome their commitment and dedication to Torah values and chesed and they wasted no time in getting involved, while raising Estee, Aviva and Eli, now 19, 16 and 14 years old.
Despite their busy careers and family responsibilities, Larry, a technical consultant in the energy services industry and Valerie, a preschool teacher at the Rosenbaum Yeshiva of North Jersey, the couple has given an extraordinary amount of time and energy working for our kehilla. Valerie has served as a Shul board member, co-chair of the Shul Dinner, member of the Dinner Committee, Sisterhood board member, Mishloach Manot co-chair, among other activities. Larry has also served as a board member, as well as member of the Strategic Planning committee, Financial Arrangements Committee, co-chair of the Expansion Committee, member of the Seudah Sh’lishit Committee, Kiddush Committee, Facility Rental Coordinator,  Shul Calendar Coordinator, member of the House & Grounds Committee, and the ultimate position – Shul President from 2006-2008.

SHELLY LEFFEL SERVICE AWARDEES
Ari & Shannon Gononsky

Having been raised in Teaneck, his family “member #99” of Congregation Bnei Yeshurun, Ari Gononsky was always aware of how wonderful the Jewish community of Teaneck is, and knew he would stay and raise his family here once he got married. Shannon, born in California and raised in Connecticut, needed a little convincing. After saying "yes" to Ari’s marriage proposal, the first words out of her mouth were "We're not living in Teaneck and that's final!" She wanted to live in the City, as she was looking for a vibrant, thriving Jewish community where she could grow spiritually, as well as raise a family with good values. Apparently, choosing Teaneck was the only argument Ari has ever won and Shannon happily gave in on this one and never looked back. Together, they chose Congregation Beth Aaron as their spiritual home in 2001 and have made an indelible impact on our shul, enhancing the community and contributing to its vibrancy and growth. It is for their service and dedication to our shul that they are being honored at this year’s Dinner with the Shelly Leffel Service Award. Shelly z”l, epitomized what it means to selflessly serve a community and Ari and Shannon have surely lived up to his example.
In addition to raising their daughter Beth, age 10 and a student at Yavneh Academy, Ari works as Team Leader at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Shannon is a Dietitian at Care One at Wellington in Hackensack. They have devoted much of the rest of their time to various projects and positions in our kehilla – Ari is a founding member of the Men’s Club, served as Men’s Club President 2005-2010, is our Kiddush Committee Chair, and helps build, take down, and store (hopefully for not too much longer) the shul sukkah. Shannon served as President of the Sisterhood for two years, is current treasurer of the Sisterhood, serves on the Mishloach Manot and Women’s Seuda Shlishit committees as well as various Sisterhood fundraisers and social events. In addition to dedicated service to our shul, Ari, an avid runner, has raised money for institutions in Israel through sponsored marathons and Shannon is an active participant in the YPAA, Yavneh Parents Association. They are both committed to serving the needs of our membership and our community and are always available to pitch in when needed with time and resources.