“Man of the Year” and “Youths of the Year”
Congregation Beth Israel
Peter Fleischmann, Michael Liebermann, and Keira Baerson, members of Congregation Beth Israel (CBI) in Scotch Plains, were honored as “Man of the Year” and “Youths of the Year”, respectively, at the Northern New Jersey Region of the Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs dinner, held at Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael in Springfield, on Sunday, December 4.
This year’s “Man of the Year”, Peter Fleischmann, has been an active member of CBI since 1965. Born in Czechoslovakia in 1927, Peter emigrated to the United States at age 14 with his parents and brother and lived in Forest Hills, Queens. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps for 18 months, and later earned a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Illinois. Peter married his late wife Bernice in 1950; he has three children and seven grandchildren. During his long career, Peter worked in the radio, television, advertising and printing industries. After his retirement in 1994, Peter volunteered to mentor start-up and operating businesses through the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce. A Holocaust survivor, Peter also volunteers through the Jewish Federation of Great MetroWest’s Holocaust Council to educate younger generations, either through one-to-one meetings with Bar and Bat Mitzvah students or through presentations to elementary, middle school and high school classes.
“Youth of the Year” Michael Liebermann is a 12th-grader at Westfield High School and “Youth of the Year” Keira Baerson is in 11th grade at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. Both honorees are madrichim (teachers’ aides) in CBI’s Religious School and attend Darcone, the synagogue’s program for High School students. Both students also assume additional leadership roles at CBI and within the larger Jewish community. Michael participated in the Diller Teen Fellowship program, a selective leadership development program for Jewish 10th and 11th graders, sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ. Keira, in turn, spent last summer in Israel with USY (United Synagogue Youth) on its EPIC program (Experience with Purpose, Intention, and Community).
“The CBI Men’s Club Selection Committee worked with the synagogue’s clergy and staff to identify those individuals who truly exemplify the best of CBI,” said Jonathan Jaffe, chair of the Selection Committee. “Peter is widely known for his participation in an ongoing ‘Twinning’ program with Bar and Bat Mitzvah teens, as he continually shares his story about escaping the Nazis with new generations. Meanwhile, Michael and Keira are superb representatives of CBI’s youth; both have accomplished so much already, and we are very pleased to honor them for all of their hard work within the Jewish community. Both are tremendous role models for the students in our Hebrew School.”
The Federation of Jewish Men’s Clubs presents awards annually to recognize volunteers who have been active leaders within their communities. Congregation Beth Israel is affiliated with The United Synagogue for Conservative Judaism and has an active Men’s Club and youth program. For synagogue information, call 908-889-1830.
Courtesy photo
