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Nine years after he kicked off the I. David and Miriam Goldstein Memorial Teshuva Drasha, renowned speaker Rabbi Yissocher Frand returns to Congregation Ohr Torah in Edison next week to inspire the community before the High Holidays.

Frand, head of Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore, gives extremely popular Thursday night halakha lectures based on the weekly Torah portion which have been compiled, along with his other shiurim, into a series of widespread tapes and CDs.

This year's topic on teshuva, or repentance, will be "Shabbos: The Key to a Lasting Tshuva," on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 8 p.m. Admission is free at Ohr Torah, 48 Edgemount Road, and refreshments will be served. Charyn and Harvey Atlas sponsor the annual lecture in memory of Charyn's parents. I. David Goldstein, who died 10 years ago, oversaw the former Bezalel Hebrew Day School in Lakewood, which was founded by his father, for 18 years.

In addition to his captivating style, Frand has the ability to motivate an audience to action, making him a particularly appropriate speaker leading up to Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Yaakov Luban of Ohr Torah said.

"Beyond [Frand's] engaging style and his capacity to hold people's interest for at least an hour over the course of his presentation, he always has a very clear message," Luban said. "When you finish listening to him, you know exactly what to do next. Rabbi Frand always inspires change in people."

Though the lecture is free, the event is raising money for Yad Eliezer, a charity that funds and distributes food to thousands of Israel's poorest families. Yad Eliezer runs its largest distribution of the year before Rosh Hashanah, community member Jack Atkin said.

For those who cannot attend the teshuva drasha, tax-deductible donation checks can be made out to American Friends of Yad Eliezer and mailed to Rifky and Jack Atkin, 16 Hamlin Road, Edison, N.J. 08817. Yad Eliezer has been the teshuva drasha's charity for a number of years, Atkin said.

In 1999, I. David Goldstein died just three hours before Rosh Hashanah, Charyn Atlas said. He was buried moments before the holiday, and Atlas recalled how her mourning period, normally seven days in Jewish law, consisted of sitting on a curb outside a cemetery in Lakewood.

"That was our shiva, for 10 minutes," she said.

When Atlas returned to Edison for Yom Tov, she said she was greeted by about 20 neighbors who escorted her into her home with chickens, kugels, and other food for Rosh Hashanah. The entire afternoon was a surreal experience Atlas won't forget, she said.

Due to the timing of Goldstein's death, Rabbi Joshua Pruzansky, at the time executive director of Rabbi Pesach Raymon Yeshiva and now executive director of Agudath Israel of New Jersey, suggested that the Atlas family sponsor the teshuva drasha in his memory. In 2002, Atlas' mother Miriam also passed away.

"It was such a gift, and I say to Josh every year 'This [lecture] is your baby'," Atlas said. "What an opportunity to keep parents' memory alive."

Atlas explained that her grandfather Bezalel Goldstein was among the individuals who started Lakewood's Orthodox community in 1898. He founded the Bezalel school in 1948, and David took over upon Bezalel's death in 1952. David was always committed to the notion that every Jewish child should have a Jewish education, Atlas said.

"He gave many, many years to that purpose," she said.

For the first year of the lecture in 2000, Charyn said that Pruzansky made sure to secure Frand because he would put people in "the repenting mood" before Rosh Hashanah and trigger what people should be thinking about during this time of year.

"I think he's very passionate, thought provoking, and inspiring," Charyn said. "He's dramatic and never loses your interest, you're never bored."

Additionally, his name recognition is likely to draw a large crowd.

"In general, he's really well-known throughout the Jewish world," Atkin said.