Dr. Murray Leben of Teaneck will be honored on receiving the Enid and Harold Boxer Memorial Award at the NCSY Ben Zakkai Honor Society (BZHS) National Scholarship Reception on Sunday, January 10 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York.
NCSY is the international youth movement of the Orthodox Union with the mission of connecting Jewish teens to their heritage through extracurricular activities, weekend retreats, and summer programs. BZHS was founded in 1965 to provide a means of recognizing the achievements of NCSY Alumni who have demonstrated personal Torah growth and the promise of future meaningful service to the Jewish people and the Orthodox community. The society raises critical funds to provide direct scholarships for NCSYers to continue their Jewish education after high school or to participate in various NCSY programs.
“The vitality and success of NCSY is largely a tribute to the devotion, dedication and passion that our inductees and honorees such as Murray who bring to every aspect of their personal and communal lives,” declared OU National Vice President Dr. David Luchins, the dinner’s co-chair with his wife Vivian, chair of the NCSY Summer Programs Committee.
Dr. Leben grew up in North Bergen. He attended Yeshiva of Hudson County in Union City for elementary school and the Rogosin Yeshiva High School in Jersey City. He started the North Bergen chapter of NCSY in 1974 with Robbie Marcus. Robbie was chapter president and Murray was vice president. The chapter grew to 75 members with many weekend shabbatonim throughout the area plus regionals. Murray served as the North Bergen NCSY chapter president 1976-77 and became NCSY’s President of the Year. Additionally, North Bergen NCSY became Regional & National Chapter of the Year.
Dr. Leben attended Yeshiva University and graduated in 1981. Prior to his studies for dental school he was chapter advisor for North Bergen NCSY for two years. He graduated from University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey/Rutgers in 1985. His career practicing dentistry in Bergenfield spans over 20 years.
He moved to Teaneck in 1985 and became involved in early 1990’s on the NJ NCSY Youth Commission. He also served on the NJ OU Board, which was established in 2005; and in 2012 he became Chairman. He is president Congregation Rinat Yisrael in Englewood; executive board member of Yavneh Academy in Paramus, Torah Academy of Bergen County (TABC) in Teaneck, and the UJA. He served as president of Maayanot Yeshiva High School for Girls in Teaneck for five years and also served as president of the Teaneck/Bergenfield Eruv Association. He is currently first vice president of Maayanot, the Eruv Association, and Chairman of NJ NCSY and an OU Board Member.
Dr. Leben has five children. Danit is an Environmental Attorney in Los Angeles, CA; Tamara is a pharmacist living in Teaneck with her husband, Donny Goldin CPA, with one child, Olivia; Oren graduated YU, is working at SAR and is married to Shana Wagner and is living in Kew Garden Hills with their son, Ben; Leor after attending Sha’alvim and NCSY Kollel Summer Program in Israel is a sophomore at YU; and Kineret is a freshman at Maayanot.