Keter Torah Honorees

The 5^th Annual Keter Torah Award will be presented to Lily Kaplan and Adina Spiro Wagman on Shabbat, June 11 in the main sanctuary.

Lily Kaplan
Since early childhood, Lily Kaplan has made her home, both spiritual and physical, on West 86th Street.  She lived there with her parents and her sister Gaby, and later, with her husband Joe Kaplan, z’’l, and their three children, Michele, David and Andrew.  She and Joe were married at the Jewish Center by Rabbi Jung and shared 50 wonderful years together. Both of her sons’ bar mitzvahs were there, and her daughter was the first girl to have a bat mitzvah at the Jewish Center. Lily served on the administrative board, chaired Rabbi Jung’s 50th anniversary dinner, and she and Joe were honored nine years ago at the Jewish Center’s annual dinner.  

Lily’s involvement in the larger Jewish community includes a stint as president of the Gayl Shechter Chapter of Amit, and chair of Amit’s Manhattan Council.  She and Joe were both very involved in the Jewish Board of Children and Family Services, Joe as past president. Lily did outreach mostly to the Russian immigrant community in Brooklyn to help ascertain their needs. As part of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry, they both went to Russia in 1974 on behalf of the Refuseniks, many of whom successfully relocated to Israel. For over a decade, she marched in the Solidarity Sunday Parade in Manhattan and was always a supporter of the Israel Day Parade. Lily is a life member of Amit and of Hadassah, and currently sits on the board of Mishkan, a program for special needs children operated by JBFS.  

A former second grade teacher turned real estate broker, Lily loves to attend the ballet and the philharmonic. She volunteered for the Israeli army for two weeks recently, and in the winter you might spot her ice skating in Bryant Park.  She has eleven wonderful grandchildren, and two, almost four, great-grandchildren. 

Adina Spiro Wagman
Adina Spiro Wagman arrived in NYC in 1993 to work long hours as a tax lawyer. She knew that her main chance to make new friends would be on Shabbat.  Adina joined The Jewish Center for several reasons - the warm and welcoming intergenerational community, the wonderful clergy and classes, and a women's section where she could see and hear everything and truly feel included in the inspirational services. Adina feels very lucky to have met her husband, Phil (also a tax lawyer) through work, and to be the mother of Sarah, 11yrs, and Daniel, 9yrs. 
 
Joe Kaplan z”l played a big part in increasing Adina's involvement at the JC when he asked her to serve as Assistant Treasurer in 2004. She later became Treasurer, continuing to focus on transparency, accountability, and building up reserves. Sarah and Daniel were the youngest invited guests to some of the officers' meetings, attending in their baby bjorn and often sleeping soundly through entire meetings! In Adina's 10 years as an officer, they grew from newborns to enthusiastic members of the JC community. 
 
Adina has served on various JC committees, is a matchmaker on sawyouatsinai.com and is involved at The Heschel School, her children's school. She was a co-founder of JC Connections for singles and brought Shabbat4Tots to the shul. Several years ago, she and Phil chaired the annual dinner.  Adina currently co-chairs the Shiva Meals Committee and serves on the JC Board. She credits her parents in Toronto for being incredible role models for community involvement.  Adina is very grateful for the spiritual and learning opportunities at the JC and that she and her family have made so many wonderful friends there.