Nominated and written by Rabbi Moshe Benovitz, Dean of NCSY Summer/Director of NCSY Kollel

 

Aaron was my first chapter advisor in Teaneck Bnai Yeshurun NCSY.  He was surely in possession of all the normal attributes of an effective NCSY advisor.  He was selfless and generous with his time and resources.  I fondly remember mini-Shabbaton’s in his parents’ home, and countless conversations when it seemed there was no place else he needed to be.  He was knowledgeable and a wonderful teacher.  We learned much from his formal presentations, and even more from his informal talks.

 

But what made the strongest impact on me was how much fun he had while working and growing in religion. Aaron made everything fun.  He had a midas touch with events, and a creative flair for programming.  Remarkably, I have stronger and better memories of car rides with Aaron to and from events than I do of some of the events themselves.  He was cool and just cynical enough.  And everything with him was more fun.  Chinese food, his Chevy Cavalier, his taste in music, and NCSY lore were all larger than life when he got involved.  Experiencing religion with Aaron did not mean losing personality or dulling life down.  There was nothing stodgy or stale about anything he did.  The vibrancy and vitality of his devotion was unparalleled. His personal journey from public school always moved me.  But his selfless devotion to the teens in his chapter and his zeal for life and passion for Torah made the most indelible impression on me.