Category: Annual Dinner Honorees

We are thrilled to announce the Park East Synagogue Annual Dinner Guests of Honor, Dr. Alex & Olga Rovt! Join us on Wednesday, June 5 for our Annual Dinner as we honor Dr. Alex and Olga in support of our Synagogue and Jewish Education.

Dr. Alex Rovt was born in the Transcarpathian region presently Ukraine that was Hungary until 1945. Upon his graduation from the Lviv Business School, Dr. Rovt successfully completed and earned the equivalent of a Masters in Business Administration with further obtaining his PhD Degree in Economics, specializing in World Economy and International Economic Relations.

Dr. Rovt started his career as an international businessman and entrepreneur with the real success coming to him in 1978 in the Republic of Hungary when he had accepted the managerial work offer in the Hungarian state-owned company ‘Zoldert’ of the agricultural industry. In 1985 Dr. Rovt came to the United States as Assistant to the President of IBE Trade Corp., an American company with the office in Manhattan, that has been engaged in the production and marketing of agricultural fertilizers throughout the world. In a few years Dr. Rovt was promoted to Vice President of IBE Trade Corp. and finally in 1996 he became the company’s President and sole owner.

Dr. Rovt is not only a businessman, but also a philanthropist. An ardent supporter of children’s charities, Dr. Rovt is the main sponsor, trustee and President of ZDR Yeshiva Rambam and co-sponsor, trustee and Vice President of Yeshiva of Flatbush, both located in Brooklyn. Dr. Rovt also supports scholarship programs to cover tuition costs of many international students that wish to study in the United States (John Jay College, Fordham University).

From 2001 until 2018 Dr. Rovt had been a member, the Vice Chairman, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center. In September, 2012, he became Chairman for the Board of Trustees of BUHMC. In 2003 he was selected as Brookdale Hospital’s Board of Trustees Honoree at the Brookdale Hospital Annual Tribute Ball. On May 12th, 2006, in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel he received his Unified Hospital Fund’s Distinguished Trustee Award. 

In April 2005, Dr. Alex Rovt was appointed by the Council of the City of New York as a Member of the New York City Board of Correction and served on the Board for 10 years until his tenure had expired in 2015. 

In February 2006, Dr. Alex Rovt was appointed by Governor Pataki as a Member of the Small Business Advisory Board of the New York State Senate.

In September 2008 Dr. Alex Rovt was admitted to exercise the functions of the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in the city of Szeged, Hungary, in the territory with traditionally mixed ethnic population groups of Hungarians and Ukrainians. For his successful public work in the status of the Honorary Consul in 2016 by the Decree of the President of Ukraine, Dr. Rovt was awarded the Fifth Degree Order of Yaroslav Mudry.    

Dr. Rovt is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Maimonides Medical Center and John Jay College of Criminal Justice; a Trustee on the Board of Governors for the Touro College and University System, and is Chairman of the Board of Trustees for OBHS, Inc.

Dr. Alex Rovt is married to Olga and has two sons, Philip and Maxwell. 

We are thrilled to announce the Park East Synagogue Parents of the Year Awardees, Dr. Jeffrey & Amanda Morrison! Join us on Wednesday, June 5 for our Annual Dinner as we honor Dr. Jeffrey and Amanda in support of our Synagogue and Jewish Education.

Dr. Jeffrey and Amanda Morrison, a globally connected couple, found love in New York City, marking eight years of a joyful marriage. Active members at Park East Synagogue, they are dedicated parents to Maya and Sylvie, who are flourishing at Park East Hebrew School. The Morrisons are regulars at Children’s Shabbat service and various synagogue events, deeply embedding themselves in the community.

Amanda’s journey towards Judaism took a serendipitous turn long before she met Jeff. Born and raised in Taiwan, her classically trained talents as a pianist and opera singer led her from the vibrant streets of Taipei to the Black Box at New York University. It was there that she encountered Anna Skibinsky, an Israeli soprano whose mentorship opened Amanda’s eyes to the rich warmth of Israeli culture. As her career blossomed, taking her to iconic venues like the New York Mets and Carnegie Hall, Amanda’s path crossed with many Jewish families. This led to a renewed zest for teaching music, fostering cultural exchange and laying the foundation for her unique bond with Judaism, shaping her into a “Taiwanese-Jewish” spirit at heart long before her life intertwined with Jeff’s. Through the universal language of music and the shared notes of cultural harmony, Amanda’s appreciation for Judaism grew, nurturing a connection that would later be deepened through marriage and community life.

Meanwhile, Jeffrey, the medical director and senior physician at his private practice in midtown Manhattan, dedicates his expertise to Integrative Medicine and Clinical Nutrition, focusing on helping individuals manage chronic health issues. Born and raised in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he is the child of Jerry and Marti, second-generation Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe. A New Yorker since 2001, Jeffrey has dedicated himself to providing holistic healthcare, reflecting his passion for well-being in both his practice and his involvement in the community.

The Morrisons express their immense gratitude for finding a spiritual home at Park East Synagogue. Inspired by Rabbi Schneier’s leadership, they have discovered a welcoming community that extends far beyond mere congregation. They cherish the opportunity to support Hebrew school teachers nurturing their children’s education, while forging meaningful connections with new friends that continue to deepen their own Jewish cultural and spiritual bonds.

A special appreciation goes to Rabbi Flatto for his guidance in weekly Parsha readings, Rabbi Caleb Fischer for sharing insights on living a meaningful Jewish life, and Rabbi Einsidler and Cantor Laivi for their dedication to passing on Jewish learning, songs, and heritage to the next generation within Park East Hebrew School. A heartfelt thank you also extends to Toby Einsidler, their children’s beloved teacher, whose passion inspires joy in their weekly Shabbat morning children’s service.

In honoring Jeff and Amanda Morrison, Park East Synagogue and its Hebrew School celebrate this vibrant couple as enthusiastic contributors to the congregation. Their unique attributes and dedication add immeasurable value to the shul and the wider community they have embraced as their own.

 

We are thrilled to announce the Park East Synagogue Annual Dinner Guests of Honor, Dr. Larry and Ann Neuman! Join us on Tuesday, June 6 for our Annual Dinner as we honor Larry and Ann in support of our Synagogue and Jewish Education.

Dr. Larry and Ann Neuman have devoted the last 40 years to treating the medically underserved community and to supporting the spiritually underserved Jewish community. With a subspecialty in the field of geriatrics, Dr. Neuman operates a large practice in upper Manhattan. Currently he is also the Medical Director of a chain of assisted living facilities in New York City and Long Island, responsible for the medical care of 2,000 senior citizens.

Ann is a Nurse Practitioner who has worked in the field of renal dialysis, oncology, and psychology. Later on she joined her husband in the medical practice where she serves as a nurse and also as the Medical Director of the multi-specialty medical practice.

Larry is a child of parents who were both Holocaust survivors who rose from the ashes of Auschwitz and came to this country with no language skills or means of support but succeeded in raising three generations of Torah-observant descendants. Larry holds a MD from SUNY Downstate medical school and interned at Long Island Hospital in Brooklyn and did his residency at Stamford Hospital at Yale-New Haven.

Dr. Neuman is past President and Baal Koreh of Congregation Brothers of Israel in Westchester. He has been honored by Aish Hatorah, Project Inspire, Chabad, and various Yeshivas for his work in the field of kiruv and for sponsoring Talmudic scholars to ensure the preservation of the Jewish faith for generations to come. No one reads the Torah at a moment’s notice as beautifully and as brilliantly as Larry. He is often called upon at Park East Synagogue and the Hampton Synagogue to read the Torah and Haftorahs. 

Larry and Ann have two children. Jonathan is a graduate of Columbia University and the Jewish Theological Seminary where he majored in Psychology, English, and Judaic Studies. Jonathan is presently setting up various entrenpreneur businesses involving medicine and mobile medical diagnostics throughout the city. Larry and Ann’s daughter, Alexandra, received her BA degree in Fine Arts from Washington University in St. Louis and her MA degree in Fine Arts from the University of California in San Diego. She is an accomplished artist, working in the field of film, video, and performance art. Her work has been shown in various countries throughout Europe. She has also taught Hebrew at Park Avenue Synagogue Day School for the past five years.

In honoring Larry and Ann, Park East Synagogue and its Day School are delighted to reflect their admiration for such a leading couple who have added so much to the quality of the shul and its unique services. 

We are thrilled to announce the Park East Synagogue Annual Dinner Guests of Honor, Louis & Eva Galpern! Join us on Tuesday, June 6 for our Annual Dinner as we honor Louis and Eva in support of our Synagogue and Jewish Education.

Louis & Eva, married for 50 years, are proud parents of four children; David, a doctor in Richmond, VA whose wife Robyn is an occupational therapist, Elliot an attorney who is getting married to Ali on June 17th, Michelle who cares for her two young children and whose husband, Shir Abramov, is an investment banker, and Ariel, an RN who now works in finance in the family business and is married to Jonathan Stern, a realtor who also serves as a cantor. The Galperns’ grown children attended Yeshiva of Flatbush from nursery school through high school. Louis & Eva have nine loving grandchildren. 

Louis’ parents survived the Holocaust in Lithuania. He and his brother Robert were born after the War and soon afterwards the family moved to Israel. In 1960, the family came to the U.S. where Louis’ parents started a ladies wear manufacturing company. Louis and Robert took over the business when their parents became older and later expanded into real estate ownership and mortgage financing. 

Eva’s parents survived the Holocaust in Poland. Living as Jews in Poland, the effects of discrimination permeated their lives. Eva’s family immigrated to the U.S. in 1967 with the help of the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society. Louis met Eva, the love of his life, when he was 18 and she was 15. They shared the same values, both worked and studied at Brooklyn College at night and married in 1973.  

Chesed has always been a big part of Louis & Eva’s lives. Louis was on the Board of Directors of Yeshiva of Flatbush. He was on the board of Congregation Sons of Israel in Brooklyn where he built, financed and restored the synagogue into a thriving institution. Louis created Friends of Israel Fire Fighters (FIFF) and sent fire trucks to Israel, and later, under the umbrella of JNF, helped build Fire Stations in new developments in Israel. Louis serves on the board of JNF. He is also a board member of the Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre. Louis assumed responsible positions in and is involved with Hadassah, AIPAC, RJC, UJA and various other Jewish charitable organizations. Eva is actively involved with UJA Women’s Philanthropy. She is a past Chair of UJA Federation of New York in charge of five boroughs and was formerly honored by UJA Women’s Division. She serves on the board of UJA. Eva is also involved with various other philanthropies.

Louis and Eva formed a Foundation to assure the endowment for their children and grandchildren to continue in their footsteps.

The Galperns moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan in 2020 when they joined Park East Synagogue. Louis is inspired by and admires Rabbi Arthur Schneier and is very glad to have joined this wonderful institution – Park East Synagogue.