The story of our shul begins beyond the confines of the Young Israel walls and even outside the greater Fair Lawn community. Our story begins with the life of Dr. Yitzchak Belizon, z”l.
Dr. Belizon was always mature beyond his years. As a young boy, instead of attending a religious public school in his Israeli neighborhood of Beit Hakerem, he convinced his father to send him to Yeshiva Netiv Meir. Upon graduation, he continued his learning by joining the Hesder Program at Yeshivat Kerem B’Yavneh. He then went on to study medicine to become a nephrologist.
As a skilled physician, Dr. Belizon enhanced the lives of countless individuals. He did this through more than just administering their medical care. Numerous stories have been told about how he would travel many miles, after office hours, to visit the sick and comfort them, and he did this all without fanfare. As a sensitive soul, he could not sit comfortably at home when there were individuals in need of his help.
In addition to his genuine devotion to others, his love for learning knew no bounds. Dr. Belizon began the daily Kollel Boker learning program at Congregation Bnei Yeshurun. From recruiting the Rav, Rabbi Sobolofsky, to the attendees, he took on the responsibility of increasing the Torah learning opportunities for Klal Yisrael.
Dr. Belizon’s life is a paradigm of how we can each make a difference. In a world swirling with overwhelming challenges, our goal is to do good for ourselves and for others. Dr. Belizon was a leader and his memory is an inspiration to continue his legacy of doing good. Whether through Torah study, comforting the sick, or doing acts of chesed, Dr. Belizon z''l was a genuine mensch and a model for us all to emulate.
Years later, Young Israel of Fair Lawn stands as the (living) embodiment of all that Dr. Belizon stood for. In September of 2014, his son, Rabbi Eli Belizon took on the role to lead our congregation. While YIFL has seen rapid growth, it is still a small shul and retains a close-knit feeling where people look out for each other and are eager to help the shul thrive. Through the numerous shiurim given each week and the constant programming for men, women and children, YIFL has transformed the way we connect to Hashem and each other. The Sefer Torah being donated in memory of Dr. Yitzchak Belizon is a continuation of his legacy, and will enable us to follow his ways by bringing even more goodness into the world every day.
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