Blog

It is a funny thing to be connected to a person you've never met. A person who died 15 years before you were born. However, my entire life I have felt a strong connection to my great-grandfather, Michael Fadem, or Mike, or Pop, as his grandchildren lovingly referred to him. My great-grandfather held many jobs throughout his life. However, the job he held the longest was his position as Executive Secretary (Executive Director) of Congregation Temple Israel from 1948-69 -- 21 years of dedicated service.

In 1948, Congregation Temple Israel recognized two trends: the first was that religious institutions were starting to be a bit more business-like, and the second was that people, specifically Jews, were moving west. In response, the Temple Israel Board decided to create the position of Executive Secretary, later to be known as Executive Director. They chose my great-grandfather, Mike Fadem. In this role, his responsibilities were to keep the finances in order, report about finances to the board, supervise the staff, and control the inner workings of the congregation.

Hiring my great-grandfather was the board’s first move towards the future. Because they began to recognize attendance dwindling and families moving west, they began a capital campaign to raise money for a brand new building on the corner of Ladue and Spoede Roads. My great-grandfather helped facilitate this fundraising and the sale of the old building on Kingshighway. The cornerstone for the new building was laid in 1957 and he served as Executive Director in this new building too.

You may wonder how I could know he served in this important role when I was born 15 years after his death. Many of you may remember the History of Temple Israel Panels that hung in the Schoenberg Foyer for many years. Even as a small child my parents and grandparents would take me over to those pages and show me Pop’s picture. They would tell me how he helped build this building and create this community we are a part of.

It is interesting how it didn’t just end with a picture in a book. He created a legacy. For example, my family always sits to the left of the Bimah at High Holy Days services, near an exit because as Executive Director, Pop would only sit for a few minutes before he had to check on something. He has been deceased for over 40 years and we still sit near a door in the blue chairs.

Family lore states that during his time as Executive Director, my great-grandfather was a big advocate for families who could not pay the full dues amount. He allowed many families to pay what they could. Having experienced the Great Depression first hand as the parent of two young children, he could closely relate to this struggle. He believed that people deserved the experience of being a part of a congregation regardless of how much they could afford.

So despite never meeting this wonderful man, I have a strong and deep connection with him thanks to Temple Israel. When asked as a board member which committee I wanted to serve on, I immediately said membership. Many friends on the board asked why. "How about events?" they suggested. I had my reason. I knew that I had the opportunity to impact membership and dues in a positive way just as my great-grandfather did. It is up to me to continue his legacy. I am so thankful that Temple Israel has helped my family keep his memory and so many other family members’ memories alive.

-Amanda Packman

Mike and Rose Fadem, Amanda's great-grandparents	Diane Packman (Amanda's Mom) and her grandpa, Mike Fadem	Notice of Mike Fadem's passing, April of 1974