[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 8]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 11102]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




         A TRIBUTE TO RABBI LEONARD AND MRS. CAROLYNNE GUTTMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 24, 2005

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the National 
Council of Young Israel Shofar Award recipient Rabbi Leonard Guttman 
and his wife, Carolynne, and pay tribute to their involvement and 
commitment to the Young Israel movement and to worldwide Jewry.
  Rabbi Leonard B. Guttman, Esq. is an Assistant Vice President for 
Intergovernmental Relations at the New York City Health and Hospitals 
Corporation, the largest public health system in the United States. His 
prime responsibility is to serve as an advocate in Washington for New 
York's publicly funded hospitals and its over 1.3 million patients. 
While new to the Young Israel Ohab Zedek of North Riverdale-Yonkers, in 
1988-1989 he worked at the National Council of Young Israel where one 
of his responsibilities was serving as editor of the Young Israel 
Viewpoint. He has also been an adjunct Professor at the Borough of 
Manhattan Community College and Touro College and an Assistant 
Commissioner of the New York City Department for the Aging. From 1994-
1996, he served as First Deputy Commissioner/General Counsel at the New 
York City Commission for the United Nations and Consular Corps. He 
often worked behind the scenes to help Israel and Jewish individuals 
who are suffering.
  Rabbi Guttman is active in a vast array of non-profit organizations. 
Among these activities, he serves on the Board of the American Friends 
of the Sanz Laniado Medical Center (Netanya, Israel), which awarded him 
and his wife its Community Service Award in May 2000, and also on the 
board of the Metropolitan Council of the American Jewish Congress. 
Since 1997, Rabbi Guttman has quietly taught a Torah class at the 
United Nations for its Judaica Club. He has published articles in 
Midstream, New York Affairs, Congress Monthly and The Jewish Press on 
issues as varied as the Holocaust, Islam and Jewish and Communal 
affairs and has also lectured extensively. Carolynne, originally from 
Toronto, Canada, comes from a distinguished family active in Jewish and 
Communal affairs both in Toronto and Houston, Texas where she spent her 
formative years. A known expert on medical reimbursements, she serves 
as billing manager at New Rochelle Radiology.
  Mr. Speaker, I have been fortunate to witness the revitalization of 
the National Council of Young Israel (NCYI). Nationally, the 
Departments of Synagogue and Rabbinic Services and the Women's Division 
and the Youth Department provide Young Israel congregations with much 
appreciated support. When an Orthodox synagogue needs assistance, NCYI 
is known as the organization to contact. On the international scene, 
NCYI is at the forefront of speaking out in support of the State of 
Israel, and to ensure the return of Israel's soldiers who are missing 
in action. NCYI has spearheaded a campaign to provide the Israel 
Defense Forces with Torah Scrolls for its troops who are in mobile and 
isolated posts. NCYI has delivered over 100 Torah scrolls and has not 
only facilitated but also encouraged many other individuals and 
organizations to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe it is incumbent upon this body to recognize 
the accomplishments of Rabbi & Mrs. Guttman for their outstanding 
efforts in the betterment of the Jewish community and the City of New 
York.

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