As Dennis Prager's voice came back into the foreground of his thought-pattern, Denis picked up the receiver of his car-phone and dialed into the radio program. To his astonishment, he was put right through. Once on the air, he explained to the talk-show host that he had just been elected as a first-time member of the Agoura Hills City Council and was about to participate in a ceremony he knew little about. After hearing Prager elaborate on the spiritual significance of the Menorah, Weber offered that he would kindle the Menorah that night in Prager's honor, since Prager meant so much to him.

"Councilman, I'm very touched," said Prager, "but if you want to honor me even more,I would ask you to make me the following promise: Promise me that as long as you're on the city council, every time you vote, you'll do so as though you are NOT running for reelection."

"Boom! That was it, right there!" reflects Mayor Denis Weber 24 years later. "That one statement proved to be the most impactful and timely piece of advice of my political career. I did indeed take that pledge and have sought to remain true to it ever since. On any given issue, I've always looked for my inner compass to point me in the direction of what was right - even if it came at the expense of what was popular. It hasn't me steered me wrong yet."

Nor has it hurt him at the polls. Over the years, Denis Weber has consistently been among the top vote-getters on the Agoura Hills City Council, granting him six terms as Mayor - including his current one - a position attained via a combination of rotation and vote-count considerations.

Indeed, when talking about Mayor Denis Weber, the first qualities friends, family-members, associates, colleagues and constituents will invariably cite are his sincerity, honesty, integrity, fairness, humor and open-mindedness. And then, without missing a beat, they will talk glowingly about his warmth, sensitivity, patriotism and passionate commitment to his family and community.

It is these qualities that are likewise being cited as the reasons Mayor Denis Weber will be honored at Chabad of the Conejo's Gala Banquet on June 11, 2017, at the Four Seasons Westlake Hotel. Billed as a celebration of "Leaders, Heroes and Lamplighters," the program promises to be a fusion of entertainment and inspiration in tribute to those who "ignite" the hopes and dreams of young and old from all walks of life.

"Rarely do we see a political leader exude such warmth, wholesomeness and authenticity by his demeanor, let alone by his words and his actions," says Chabad of the Conejo's Rabbi Moshe Bryski of his longtime friend. It was at the very celebration to which Denis Weber was en route during his consequential on-air dialogue with Dennis Prager in 1993 that the rabbi and councilman/mayor met for the first time.

"It began as we were standing together in the bucket of a cherry-picker, hoisted 25 feet in the air to kindle the lights atop the huge Menorah at the City Mall," recalls Rabbi Bryski. "We've been 'soul-brothers' ever since, sharing our visions for this region and doing our utmost to bring them to fruition - each within our own respective forums and arenas of influence."

Denis Weber's interest in public service began in 1987, shortly after he and his wife, Laurie, moved from Oak Park to Morrison Ranch Estates in Agoura Hills. Having grown up on a ranch in Arizona, and being a passionate horseman and outdoorsman, Denis quickly took to the wide-open spaces and picturesque mountain terrains of Agoura Hills. He had finally found his true home.

With his leadership skills having been honed as the manager of several large banks - including Security Pacific, First Interstate and City National - Weber was soon elected Board President of the Morrison Ranch Homeowner's Association. As more people were exposed to his conscientious and straightforward way of getting things done, Denis was increasingly encouraged to run for a seat on the Agoura Hills City Council, which he did in 1993, and won by going door to door and engaging with hundreds, then thousands, of his neighbors. He has since repeated that performance five times, employing the same door-to-door approach each time.

"When I knock on a door, I usually have no idea who will be on the other side of it or what their situation may be," says Mayor Weber. "All I do know is that I have around 30 seconds to establish a sense of trust and connection so that we can take our conversation to the next level, much like at the bank when I meet a new client or prospect." Being a humble "people-person," it is the connections with voters that Denis still cherishes most - even after nearly a quarter-century on the job.

"He is a great storyteller," says Greg Ramirez, Agoura Hills City Manager. "By drawing on his life's experiences, he is able to communicate a vision for this city and give people a clear understanding of the issues at hand. It's not a coincidence our city has been so strong every year he has served us. You can point to so many things in this city that would not be here without Denis Weber."

During Weber's tenure on the city council and as mayor, new parks have been opened, the school district has been ranked in the top 5% of the state, crime rates have remained extremely low and Agoura Hills has maintained a balanced budget.

In fact, "balance" is the key to Denis Weber's modus operandi. Being the lover of nature he is, Denis is as sensitive as anyone to maintaining the scenic beauty and environmental integrity of what he touts as "one of the most beautiful places in the country." At the same time, he is cognizant of the challenges of growth. "On every issue, Denis takes the time to see both sides and always engages his fellow council members to ensure the right decision is made," says Ramirez.

Concurrent with his role as the Chief Executive of a city of 22,000, Denis Weber serves as the Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking for California United Bank of the Conejo Valley. There, as in government, Weber places a premium on relationships. "He's a very loyal person who is always there for people," says attorney Chuck Cohen, a senior partner with Cohen, Begun & Deck and former mayor of the City of Thousand Oaks, who has known Weber for twenty-five years.

In his wife, Laurie's words, "To know Denis is to love Denis." While fully acknowledging her bias, Laurie Weber insists that her husband's devotion to public service is driven by a genuine desire to help people rather than raw ambition. "He is the most caring and compassionate person I know," she says, pointing to Denis's extensive voluntary work on behalf of numerous nonprofit organizations, including his service as a board-member of the Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Conejo Valley for the past 15 years. Previously, his youth leadership involvement included his service as Commanding Officer of the Naval Sea Cadets, a program that provides young men and women a taste of military life, and as a scout leader for the local chapter of Boy Scouts of America for 12 years, during which time he saw his son, Chris, become an Eagle Scout.
"He's always one to do favors for others, but not one to call in those favors," says now 25-year-old, Chris Weber, who is in real estate, is proud of his close relationship with his father, strengthened by their many horseback rides in Chesebro and Palo Comado Canyons. Those special hours on the trails, along with their annual attendance together at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas for the past 15 years, is what fueled Chris's passion for horses and had him competing in rodeos as a hobby for years. "My dad loves cowboys and the cowboy code," says Chris, adding with a chuckle, "The three sources always quoted in our house were God, Ronald Reagan and John Wayne."

Despite putting in long hours at the bank and at marathon city council meetings, Denis Weber famously sets aside quality time for his family, including wife, Laurie, son, Chris, daughters, Erin, Karen and Kelli, and of course, 7-year-old granddaughter, Olivia. "If the relationship between Denis and his kids can be described as 'close,' his bond with our youngest daughter, Erin, is best described as 'inseparable,'" says Laurie Weber. An art student at Moorpark College, 19-year-old Erin cherishes her regular 'dates' with Daddy - whether it's going out for breakfast, lunch or donuts, or just spending the day together shopping at the mall.

"If it's something near and dear to his heart - be it his family, his country, his faith or his friends - it is only a matter of time before Denis's eyes will well up with tears and his soul will be laid bare," says Rabbi Moshe Bryski, alluding to the Mayor's propensity for choking up and shedding tears when getting caught up in the emotions of poignant moments. "He's a man of great passion, and the beauty of it is that his passion is in all the right places.

"In so many instances over the past two-plus decades, Denis Weber has been there as a valued adviser, advocate and facilitator in advancing the educational and social service programs of Chabad of the Conejo - especially the Friendship Circle for children with special needs," Bryski goes on to say. "The upcoming Gala on June 11th will be an opportunity for people from across the personal, religious, communal, business and political spectrum to demonstrate our love, appreciation and admiration for this outstanding civil servant and remarkable human being."

Born in 1921 in Munich, Germany, Leopold Szneer's exemplary singing talents were recognized early on. His Jewish studies were supplemented by cantorial lessons with some of the city's finest chazzanim. By age 12, he had already made his first professional recording and was the star soloist in the large Shul.

All that came to a shattering halt on November 9, 1938 - the night infamously known as Kristallnacht - when a series of pogroms were carried out against Jews all throughout Germany. Synagogues were burned, Jewish stores, homes, hospitals and schools were ransacked and destroyed. Hundreds were injured and killed in the mayhem and tens of thousands of men were arrested and incarcerated in Nazi concentration camps. While standing amidst the ruins and millions of shards of glass in a state of disbelief, sixteen-year-old Leopold Szneer was arrested by a member of the Gestapo and transported to Dachau. Being a minor, the Jewish Federation and Red Cross managed to secure his release, allowing him to get out of Germany via a "Kinder-transport" to Belgium.

When his parents and sister later smuggled themselves over the Belgian border, Leopold joined up with them in Brussels. After the German invasion of Belgium, the Szneers were arrested and sent to the Malines transit camp. While at Malines, young Leopold organized a group of men to participate in a clandestine Rosh Hashanah prayer service. In fact, throughout his many ordeals to follow - including being placed in solitary confinement at the Breendonk concentration camp, escaping from Breendonk and joining up with the Belgian Resistance, narrowly escaping capture when the Germans had his group surrounded, and hiding in an attic for the remainder of the war - Leopold would utilize his mellifluous voice as a means of lifting the spirits of those around him.

It was after the war that Leopold learned that his parents and more than 70 family members had perished at the hands of the Nazis. He and his two sisters were the only two survivors of his immediately family.

Shortly after liberation, Leopold was asked to lead the High Holiday services for a large group of fellow survivors and Jewish soldiers of the American and British armed forces. Among those in attendance for those powerful services was one Isabelle Lubinewski. Although her travails had likewise led her from Germany to Belgium, she was able to avoid capture and deportation during the war. Sitting in in the women's gallery of the Brussel's synagogue and listening to the stirring voice of the tall, handsome young cantor, drove home the realization for Isabelle that her nightmare was finally over. When someone offered to introduce her to the striking cantor with the moving voice, she was delighted. To her further delight, the introduction led to a courtship. Isabelle and Leopold were married in 1947.

In 1952, the Szneers relocated to Los Angeles to join Isabelle's parents who had immigrated six months earlier. Fulfilling his childhood dream, Leopold accepted cantorial positions - first at Congregation Beth Jacob and then at Congregation Mogen David, where he would serve as cantor for 20 years. He would also pursue opportunities in real estate which enabled him and Isabelle to be supportive of various Jewish causes, including the furtherance of Holocaust studies and testimonials at various educational institutions.

In 1982, after Cantor Szneer's retirement from Magen David, the Szneers acquired a "Shabbat home" in Westlake Village, where they became regular participants at Chabad of Westlake. Even in retirement, during the High Holidays, Cantor Szneer would voluntarily arrange for the rental of facilities and conduct services for anywhere from 600-900 survivors of the Shoah.

In 1988, Cantor Szneer was invited to Washington, DC, to sing at White House event with President Reagan in attendance. Following the President's remarks, Cantor Szneer stepped up to the podium and sang a soulful rendition of Sim Shalom. Upon finishing his presentation, the Cantor extended his hand to the visibly-moved President, who grasped it in his own. The voice that had once ignited sparks of hope in the darkest places on earth had now done so on one of the grandest stages on earth. A "Champion of the Spirit" had come full circle.

To participate in the tribute to Isabelle Szneer and to honor the legacy of her late husband, Cantor Leopold Szneer, obm, by placing an ad in the Tribute-Journal and/or attending the Gala click below.