Hillel Gross

Hillel Gross was a nobody until he gave his world renowned speech at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Beginners Service in February 1986. He is the former political columnist of the JewishPress, and occasional columnist in the Jewish Week.

He has served in the political campaigns of George McGovern, Howard Samuels and Robert Abrams, and is known in political circles as the "death wish," a consultant who can assure his candidate's loss.

He and his wife Felise are the proud parents of six children and grandparents of an untold number of very humorous and entertaining grandchildren.

He is Vice President of Amtrust Financial.

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Allan Leicht

Allan Leicht is an Emmy Award winning writer.
He authored Adam, the acclaimed TV production
about missing children, and was the writer/producer for
Kate and Allie.

He is married to the actor/designer Renee Lippin. They now reside in Riverdale, NY with their children, Rebecca, Zaki and Raffi.

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Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald

Rabbi Ephraim Buchwald, Director of the National Jewish Outreach Program is one of the leaders in the movement of Jewish return in America today. He has pioneered and developed many of the most dramatic and effective outreach programs in this country. Ordained at Yeshiva University, where he was a student of Rabbi Dr. J. B. Soloveitchik, Rabbi Buchwald served from 1973 for 15 years as the Director of Education at Lincoln Square Synagogue in New York, which has become one of the largest and most successful centers for adult Jewish education programs in America. He also established and coordinated Lincoln Square's acclaimed outreach program. Since 1975, Rabbi Buchwald has led the now renowned "Beginners Service," a special Shabbat service for people with little or no synagogue experience.

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