Dear Friends,
I can hardly believe it’s been almost a month since the Beth El gala. Without exaggeration, and quite unexpectedly, that night was one of the most meaningful of my life. I hadn’t anticipated just how emotional it would be. The feelings that rose up in me came from a place of deep connection: to all of you, to our beloved synagogue community, and to the extraordinary care that the gala committee and staff poured into every detail. From the beer garden and Philly-themed drinks to the soaring band, every part of the program and evening felt intentional, beautiful, and it touched me deeply.
The only pressure I felt that night was the desire to thank each and every person who attended, which simply wasn’t possible. Therefore, I am writing this note. I want you to know how grateful I am to all of you who were there, as well as to those who couldn’t attend but supported the shul through a donation. I am profoundly thankful for the support you showed for our community and the sacred work we do to build something lasting and meaningful here at Beth El. I have been reading the tributes in the journal, each one more beautiful than the next. Your words moved me deeply, and I will treasure them for a long time. And the poems! What an extraordinary touch to an already lovely evening (some were even original)!
Our gala co-chairs, Rob and Jodi Scheinfeld, went above and beyond to create an evening that truly captured the essence of what makes our synagogue so special. I know they worked harder than anyone should be asked to, and my narishkeit about not wanting to be honored certainly didn’t make things easier. And yet, they planned a night I will never forget, one that was deeply meaningful not only to me, but to everyone in my family. Somehow, they even convinced my favorite writer in the world, Marilynne Robinson, to write a blessing for the occasion. I’m still in shock when I think about it. I am so very grateful to them and to the gala committee that worked so hard on every detail. I will list the gala committee below so they can be recognized for their hard work. I thank each and every one of you.
I am especially grateful for the leadership of Lauren Freeman Bosworth. Her presidency has been a master class in clarity, vision, calm, and wholehearted devotion to this community. She has been an extremely impactful leader of the Officers and the Board, two teams that have supported me during these past ten years and to whom I am grateful. And I would be remiss if I did not thank and acknowledge all of the presidents with whom I have worked. Sam Berger, Mark Seidenfeld, Mark Silver, and Rob Patchen. They each taught me so much about serving the Jewish community, and in particular, Beth El. I treasure my time collaborating with them.
As I shared at the gala, everything we celebrate today rests on the foundation laid by Rabbi Sirner and the dedicated clergy and professional teams who served alongside him through the years. It is an honor to carry forward his legacy.
And of course, I feel deeply blessed to work alongside such gifted colleagues. Beth El is incredibly fortunate to have a team of energetic, devoted, and loving staff members who give so much of themselves in service to our community. I know that many of them worked tirelessly to make the gala a success, especially Margarita Korol, Liz Clain, Stephanie Lederman, Jack Klebanow, Julie Rockowitz, Rabbi Sitkin, Rabbi Bedo, Cantor Gaby, and Marilyn Russell. The facilities team worked tirelessly with setup and clean up with very little recognition for their time: Andy Lombert, Roberto Maldonoda, Carlos Campos, Bobby Persaud, and Tom Mrizaj. Thank you all for creating an evening that was not only beautiful for our shul, but profoundly meaningful in my life.
I was filled beyond anything I could have expected at this celebration. Thank you to every person who helped plan the evening, who attended, who sent in a poem or a tribute, and of course, to each of you who supported our mission with a donation to the synagogue. The evening will remain close to my heart, a true highlight of my life.
In gratitude~
