It all started about 40 years ago. We had recently moved to our new home and were looking for a Sunday school for our daughter to start her Jewish education. We had heard about a small synagogue with a young Rabbi who played guitar, so we decided to try it out. Needless to say, we loved him and his tunes. We joined. Rabbi Jerry presided over Rachel’s Bat Mitzvah and Mark’s Bar Mitzvah; he married Rachel and Stephan; and helped us through the deaths of parents and loved ones. His connection to our family was deep. As often the case, as the children became more involved, we did, too. We came to more Shabbat services and events, served on boards and took leadership roles. TE became our community.
When Rabbi Michael came to TE, he had a new musical vision. He had new musical variations to try out, new melodies and the idea of a community that played as well as sang together. We had serious reservations. How could he change the tradition? We listened more intently, and the tunes grew on us to the point that we learned to embrace how others created music around our familiar prayers. But, of course, there is more to it than that. Michael brings spiritual guidance to families, works with the children and teens in our school and actively involves them in the community of prayer. Shabbat services are a joy that we anticipate sharing with a loving and giving group. It is interesting to us that our married children, who are raising our grandchildren, are looking for a TE – like synagogue in their own communities, but are having trouble finding one. They hold dear the values that they learned here at TE.
It is for these reasons that we wish to support this spiritual community by joining “Leave a Legacy”. We want to ensure that Temple Emanuel will continue to enrich other families in the future.