Dinner 2025 Honorees

Rachel and Jeremy moved to West Hempstead just over twenty years ago and have enjoyed watching Eitz Chayim grow from a modest house-based minyan to a thriving full-service Shul. They met in Camp Morasha as Machon counselors and got married in 1998. After six years in Riverdale, and in search of a warm community to raise their growing family, they moved into the Dogwood area of West Hempstead. They have been active volunteers and leaders in the local shuls and schools ever since. Rachel and Jeremy are the proud parents of Yael, Zachary, Daniel, and Judah and a wonderful Golden Retriever, Carly. 

Jeremy serves as our Shul Treasurer after spending three busier than expected years as Eitz Chayim President and eight years on our Board. He has served on our Adult Education, Building, Finance and High Holiday Seating committees and led the fundraising and financing efforts for our Expansion & Renovation project. Jeremy grew up in Brooklyn and attended the Yeshiva of Flatbush and davened at the Young Israel of Flatbush. He is a Yeshiva University and NYU Stern School of Business graduate who has had a varied career as an investment strategist, analyst, and strategic consultant.

Rachel is an active leader of Eitz Chayim’s Sisterhood and has served on the Board of Education at HANC. She enjoys organizing Shul bake sales and helping plan sisterhood events. She is also a member of our Chesed, Welcoming, and Building Design committees and served on our Rabbinic Search committee. Rachel grew up in Great Neck and attended North Shore Hebrew Academy and Yeshiva University High School for Girls. She is a University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University/Teacher’s College graduate with a degree in Organizational Psychology. She is an Associate Director on EY’s Global Talent team.

We are grateful for all that Rachel and Jeremy do for Eitz Chayim and are proud to recognize them as this year’s Guests of Honor.

Wendy and Stu joined Eitz Chaim in 2012, when they moved from Jamaica Estates, the community that had been their home for 25 years. Relocating to Long Island qualified their son Eric for the adult autism day program that was the best fit for him. The Ribacks chose West Hempstead, the neighborhood they thought would be the best fit for themselves, and are so glad to have been proven right. Wendy and Stu are grateful to the Shul, especially the Hashkama minyan and kiddush chevra, for helping them settle into their new life.

Stu is an active member of Hashkama, where he is appreciated for being a Levi, a frequent baal koreh of both Torah and Megillot, and an “efficient” baal tefilah on Shabbatot and Yamim Noraim.   Stu also lains Megillat Esther on Purim, outside of Hashkama. This past year Wendy arranged a scholar in residence and coordinated a chesed program to benefit The Worldwide Mezuzah Project of Leket Israel.

Stu earned his J.D. in 1984 from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone scholar all 3 years and a published editor of the Law Review.  He served as law clerk to Judge Peter K. Leisure of the U.S. District Court, for the Southern District of New York; and was an associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz, and at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan before joining his current firm Wilk Auslander LLP as a partner in 1994. Stu is a leader in the Business Law Section of the American Bar Association and a long-time board member of the autism agency, QSAC.

After completing her masters in Personnel Psychology from NYU, Wendy “worked out of the house for pay” for a few years, but then decided to stay home full time to attend to Eric's special needs. She was one of the founders of Yeshiva Education for Special Students (now Sinai at YCQ). Wendy was board member, officer, and Sisterhood president at the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates; volunteered for YCQ's Parent Association; and president of the Parent Teacher Organization, as well as chair of the dinners, auctions, and journal campaigns, of the Genesis School/Eden II programs.

With all of Stu's family and one of Wendy's sisters in Israel, the Ribacks feel fortunate to have the rest of their immediate family in West Hempstead.  Eric now resides in a group home on the other side of town; Elana, Michael, Layla and Emily Rand are near the Young Israel, and Wendy's mom Phyllis Lebow lives with Wendy and Stu.

We are thankful for all that Wendy and Stu do for Eitz Chayim and are proud to honor them with the Hakarat Hatov Award.