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When Rabbi Avrohom Aba Brudny called Rabbi Eliyahu Kaufman in 2006 about the Highland Park Community Kollel's need for a home, Kaufman, within the hour, offered Congregation Ohav Emeth's space to him for free.

Initially, Brudny's intention was to use the synagogue for a month until his organization was capable of renting property, but today, the kollel remains at Ohav Emeth. It's just one of the acts of kindness that have defined the career of Kaufman, who was honored with his wife Debby for their first 10 years of service to Ohav Emeth during the synagogue's annual dinner Jan. 17 at the Holiday Inn in Raritan Center, Edison.

"Rabbi Kaufman rolled out the red carpet for us," Brudny said. "It's very generous and very considerate for an organization to open up their arms to another organization, and it's very inspiring."

Kaufman's great uncle was Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, regarded as the supreme rabbinic authority for North American Orthodox Jewry during the 20th century. Before his death in 1986, Feinstein wrote in a letter that: "Rabbi Kaufman has studied in our Yeshiva (Yeshiva of Staten Island, Mesivta Tifereth Jerusalem) for many years and excelled in the study of Torah and Halacha and earned a name as an outstanding Talmid chacham, scholar, educator, and spiritual leader."

Kaufman, assistant rabbi at the Young Israel of Staten Island for eight years before joining Ohav Emeth, is not only an expert teacher but a role model for his congregants because "he's a person who's very gentle, he gets along with everybody," said Rabbi Reuven Feinstein, current head of Yeshiva of Staten Island and Moshe Feinstein's son, on a video message at the Ohav Emeth dinner.

Judging by the 260 people who attended, "the Kaufmans have touched the lives of nearly all the members of the Highland Park/Edison community," said Marc Scheiner, Ohav Emeth president.

Kaufman's father, Rabbi Yehoshua Heschel Kaufman, came down from Montreal for the event and said he was "astounded" by the number of "Mazel tov!" greetings he received, as it seemed almost like the Kaufmans had married off another daughter.

"The fact is that these mazel tovs are unique because they are being expressed by definitely a unique community," Yehoshua Heschel Kaufman said.

As a rabbi of Ohav Emeth, "you honestly have a privilege of meeting people, and knowing people, and connecting with them in a very profound way," Eliyahu Kaufman said. The caring attitudes of congregants range from those concerned by halakhic details, to those who are alarmed by a fellow member losing a job and scramble to get that member the funds they need, Kaufman said.

Kaufman described the nature of Ohav Emeth through a lesson of Rabbi Shimon Shkop, who taught that while conventional wisdom dictates people to think less and less about themselves as they grow older, it's actually better to hold onto your "anee" (translated as "me" in Hebrew), and expand that "me" to your family, friends, and community. After 10 years, Kaufman said he has seen how Ohav Emeth members' anee includes a love of mitzvot, Israel, and humanity, and that the synagogue's community is now part of his family's "anee."

"[Ohav Emeth is about] that anee, of really the anee of being part of a kehila kedosha (holy community)," Kaufman said.

Michael Garber, dinner chair, said that when Ohav Emeth approached Kaufman about presenting him an award, "he of course said no." The synagogue gave Kaufman an award anyway, but as another gesture, Ohav Emeth is in the process of completing a plaque for its hallway naming 95 congregants who have made aliyah, a statement that shows "our hakarat hatov to Eretz Yisrael and our love for Eretz Yisrael," Garber said.

Eleven years ago, Garber recalled that Rabbi Eliezer Kaminetzky, Kaufman's predecessor, came to his home and said: "Michael, I've been your rabbi for 33 years and it's time for me to retire." At the time, there was initially fear and dread in the community over that prospect, but those feelings easily subsided when Ohav Emeth found Kaufman, Garber said.

Also stressing Kaufman's humility, Kaminetzky said that "I'm sure, in quite a number of previous weeks, Rabbi Kaufman was thinking, 'with all due awe, I'd rather be bowling'" instead of being honored. Just as the Torah describes that the "entire home was filled with light" when Moshe was born, Kaminetzky said, Kaufman's smiles, greetings, and teachings "leave no corner" of Ohav Emeth without light.

Yehoshua Heschel Kaufman said his son "has always been the advocate of rabbonus (rabbinics) as is mentioned in the Pirkei Avos (Ethics of the Fathers)," particularly the verse "make yourself a rav and acquire yourself a friend," because he not only gives all his attention to the community's religious needs, but is a true friend for anyone who needs it.

Eliyahu Kaufman said he doesn't mind "being called the rebbetzin's husband," crediting Debby as the driving force behind many of his accomplishments. Kaufman recalled that on the couple's vacation to the Grand Canyon, he told Debby how he had never seen anything so beautiful, and her response was "How could that be, there's no cell coverage here!" for Kaufman to connect with his congregants. It was one of many times Debby understood that a rabbi's job is 24/7, even on vacation, he said.

"She really gives me the ability to do the little I do for the tzibbur (community)," Kaufman said.