I Phillip M. Goldstein would like to nominate Rabbi Avram Zaklikowski for the Yoheved Gourarie Kindness
Award. Rabbi Zak as we call him is probably the most extraordinary teacher I have had in my entire life in
the world of education. This also includes University Professors’. Rabbi Zak and I go back a long way. I
met Rabbi Zak in 1987 when I came to visit my dad in Crown Heights for the first time. He was talking to
me about Yeshiva Chanoch Lenaar. I automatically got close to him; his caring personality is something I
am blessed with today. Because of Rabbi Zak, I moved to NY in December of 1988 and started at a
yeshiva. Even though my father came to Chabad at an early age in the ’80s growing up conservadox in TX
there were no Jewish Schools like there are today.   

When I came to Yeshiva the only Jewish education I had was Hebrew School from the age of 5 to Sunday
school. Other than that the other Jewish education I got was from my Dad and the Rabbi’s Sermons.
Coming to Yeshiva gave me a foundation in Jewish education that took me all the way to Rabbinical
School in Israel Yeshivat Hamivtar with Rabbi Brovender and Rabbi Riskin. All this was because of the
love Rabbi Zak gave me in the Classroom and sitting and learning with me in private.
After I graduated Yeshiva my relationship with Rabbi Zak grew he has been my Rav, Mashpia, and
confidant in life. Our friendship has lasted 35 years. We are very close even when I made Aliyah and lived
in Israel he would come and we would get together I am part of his wife’s family and his family. This
relationship is so important to me they say Chanoch Lenaar apidarke. Teach the young it was Rabbi Zak
he matured my life for learning and understanding Judaism and Chassidut in a brilliant and loving way.
Rabbi Zak has been there for me through the last 30 years. He recently came to be with me after my dad
passed away Reb Isser Leib ben Tzvi Hirsch Z’l. This man deserves this award for being an extraordinary
human being.