The Wantagh Jewish Center has announced Rabbi Alan and Vera Lavin as this year Journal honorees. Rabbi Alan and Vera Lavin will be recognized at the temple's annual Journal Breakfast, Sunday, June 11, 10 a.m.

Rabbi Dr. Alan F. Lavin has been Rabbi of the Wantagh Jewish Center since 2003. Rabbi Lavin was the spiritual leader of Temple Hillel of North Woodmere from 1996 to 2003. Previously he was the Rabbi of Temple Shalom of Flatbush Brooklyn from 1978 to 1996 and Rabbi of Chisuk Emuna Congregation, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He also served as the Pastoral Care Coordinator of the Jacob Perlow Hospice, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York. He presently serves as the Pastoral Coordinator for F.E.G.S. Partners in Dignity.

Rabbi Lavin holds bachelor's degrees from Temple University and Gratz College, Philadelphia. He received his master of Hebrew literature degree from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America where he was ordained in 1973. He holds a doctorate in Hebrew literature from the Jewish Theological seminary. His thesis is on An Edition and Commentary on the Hebrew Liturgical Poems of Meir bar Issac. He received his honorary doctor of divinity from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in 1998.

Rabbi Lavin was the vice president of the Rabbinical Assembly of Brooklyn-Staten Island and the president of the Brooklyn Board of Rabbis. He also served as the director of the Rabbinical Assembly Conversion School and has trained as a Rabbinical Bereavement Counselor under the auspices of the New York Board of Rabbis. He is the immediate past president of the Long Island Board of Rabbis and secretary of the Rabbinical Assembly of Long Island. The Rabbi is a past president of the citywide Bikur Cholim Coordinating Council and is the head teacher of the Hillel School for an introduction to Judaism.

Vera Lavin is a graduate of Brooklyn college where she received a bachelor of arts in education and a bachelor of science in accounting. She served as a research assistant to the head of the rare book room and manuscript room at the Jewish Theological Seminary. Over the past 21 years she has worked for the comptroller of the City of New York. Presently she is an audit manager with the Department of Management Audit. Vera has always been active in Jewish organizations, especially in Synagogues. She has led junior congregation groups and organized a Tot Shabbat program recognized by United Synagogue.

The Lavins have three daughters, Michal, Shira and Meira, married to Dr. Gaby Pell, Dr. Robert Grunstein and to David Werblowsky. They are the proud grandparents of five grandchildren.

For more information, contact the Synagogue office at 785-2445. The Wantagh Jewish Center is located at 3710 Woodbine Ave., Wantagh.