I came from the small town of Lorain, Ohio.  We had one synagogue, so it was the center of Jewish life in Lorain. Young people spent a lot of time there and felt a part of the community. When I first married, I was looking for that feeling in a synagogue.  I tried several and finally found a home at Kol Haverim…right in Glastonbury.

I did not raise a family, but one of our Rabbis at Kol Haverim talked a lot (to both children and adults) about “derekh eretz” –being a mensch and treating everyone with dignity and respect.  This is an important tenet in Judaism and, to my mind, one of the most important.

I was inspired to donate to our synagogue’s endowment campaign and the LIFE & LEGACY initiative because of my love for Kol Haverim, its warmth and strong community.  I want it to be around so that future generations can have these same kinds of experiences.  My husband passed away right before the pandemic began.  I don’t have family in the area, and Kol Haverim and Rabbi Kari were there to help me through it all.  There is no way to replace that kind of love and support.  My husband and I both loved our services.  Rabbi Kari was quick to set up remote services so we all had that connection and support when we were quarantined. On Saturday mornings, she did Torah study and on Sunday she offered a History of Judaism class. Again, she reinforced connection and community at a time when we were feeling very isolated and alone. To me, that is what Kol Haverim is all about and I need to do whatever I can to ensure its future.