Herbert Lieberman, z”l (1928-2001) was a dedicated community leader and activist. He attended Bronx High School of Science, New York University and served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Married to Caryl (Meyer) for 46 years, father of two children and grandfather of five, he built a career as President of C & M Leather Goods, and Accessories by Rachel. The businesses manufactured and sold ladies belts and accessories to stores throughout the United States.
Herb Lieberman’s community service in New York City stemmed from the care he felt for the people and the neighborhood of Riverdale. He was a leading member of the community board for more than 30 years, spearheading dozens of community improvement projects. One among those was organizing local support for Riverdale’s first group homes, battling those who said “not in my backyard,” while at the same time educating his neighbors about the value of the homes for the disabled. Herb Lieberman served as a member of the executive boards of P.S. 24 and David A. Stein Riverdale School M.S. 141, chair of the district-wide organization of parents and teachers known as PTA 10, long-time board member of the Riverdale Community Center, legislative chairman of the Association of Riverdale Cooperatives, president of his co-op board, and Founder and Chairman of the Coalition for Responsible Planning, a grassroots group which prevailed over the NYC political administration to build more schools in the area. Frequently honored for his contributions to the community, Herb Lieberman was named “Riverdalian of the Year” by the Riverdale Community Council, 1988, and Deborah Hospital’s 1989 “Man of the Year,” among others.
Herb Lieberman was also a strong and vigorous supporter of Israel, beginning with his early opposition to the Arab boycott of Israel in the 1970’s and continuing until his death in 2001.
Ruben D. Silverman, z”I (1927-2016) was born and lived in Lakewood, NJ. His paternal grandfather was one of the founders, and first President, of Congregation Sons of Israel, which remains the oldest Orthodox Synagogue in Lakewood. Married for more than 60 years to Phyllis (Penner), he was the father of three children and the grandfather of seven. Immediately after his graduation from Lakewood High School, he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served as a pharmacist’s mate aboard the USS Nassau.
He attended Seton Hall College on the GI Bill and upon graduation enrolled in the inaugural class of Seton Hall Law School. He was proud to say that he practiced law “in two centuries” for more than 55 years in Lakewood. Through his legal practice he really did help people, and would occasionally take payment "in kind" from those who could not afford, but truly needed his services; in Lakewood, his name and his handshake were his bond, integrity was paramount, and he lived what he believed.
Ruben was a respected and admired member of the Bar and enjoyed the practice of law where he partnered with his older brother. He served as a member of the Ocean County Board of Elections, as well as the Lakewood Planning and Tax Boards. He was a member of the Board of Directors of Congregation Sons of Israel (though never as the President) and spearheaded the successful fund raising campaign to build the ‘new shul’. One of his favorite enterprises combined his talents as a lawyer with his involvement with the shul as he worked together with Rabbi Pesach Levovitz z"l to establish the Eleanor Levovitz Senior Citizen Apartment Building in Lakewood. He was a trial lawyer of great skill, a ‘lawyer’s lawyer’, respected in the eyes of judges, colleagues, opponents and his clients alike.
More importantly, he was a loving son, husband, father and grandfather whose life exemplified the quiet accomplishments of the "greatest generation."
Herbert Lieberman and Ruben D. Silverman Shabbaton Scholars-in-Residence
2002 Professor Avivah Zornberg
2003 Rabbi Avi Weiss
2004 Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
2005 Rabbi Dov Linzer
2006 Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks
2007 Rabbi Avi Weiss
2009 Rabbi Yitz Greenberg
2010 Rabba Sara Hurwitz
2011 Dr. Tamar Ross
2012 Blu Greenberg
2013 Rabbi Steven Weill
2014 Rabbi Asher Lopatin
2015 Rabbi Haskell Lookstein
2016 Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
2017 Rabbi Benny Lau
2018 Rabba Yaffa Epstein
2019 Rabbi Joseph Teluskin
2020 Postponed because of COVID
2021 Rabbi Avi Weiss and Rabbi Uri Topolosky (by Zoom)
2022 Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz
2023 Rabbi Seth Farber