Blog

Member of TI for 6 years, Trustee, volunteer, husband, and father

“I was raised in a smallish town with a very small Jewish population. I faced some low-level bias, a bit of hateful rhetoric, and a ton of ignorance. I see now that this helped define what was important to me and set me apart – in some clear and some ambiguous ways – from the general population. Ultimately my upbringing strengthened my dedication to representing, as opposed to hiding, my Jewish roots and cultural touchstones. My wife, Beth, and I joined Temple Israel when our first son was very young because we wanted him, and now his brother, to have a home for Jewish education.”

What’s your reason for becoming a leader at TI? “I learned at a very young age, by observing my parents, you don’t say no to the shul.”

Which TI core belief do you resonate with the most and why? “I have four: Inclusion (we are better together); Learning (Jewish Education is not the end all, but it is an important prism through which we can view the world and our lives); Repair the World (there is so much to do); Change (I am not the person, nor the Jew, I was before).”

Hobbies outside of Temple Israel? “Art, architecture, movies, music, literature, philosophy…”

If you weren’t in Architecture and Planning, what would be your dream job? “If I knew then what I know now, I would be an artist.”

Favorite cuisine? “Mexican, all day, any day. Plus, of course, Jewish Soul Food (I’m looking at you, Rachel & Max Protzel*).”
*Rachel & Max Protzel own a delicious Jewish Deli in the Clayton area and are advertisers in TI's Dateline bulletin. Visit them for a nosh, ASAP!