Blog

Member of TI for 5 years, Trustee, Co-chair of the Monroe Elementary School partnership and the Holiday Gift Store, artist, wife, and “boy" mom

What's your favorite food? "Mediterranean, Indian, and Mexican."

Liz’s favorite quote: “Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” Abraham Lincoln

“I was raised by a Catholic mother and a Jewish father. They both felt their religions were especially important to who they were. In fact, they stopped dating for six months because they both felt strongly about their faith and that they couldn’t get married and raise children unless one of them converted, but neither could ask it of the other. However, during their time apart, they realized they could not live without one another. Together, they decided that God would help them raise good citizens who believed in a higher power.

“Growing up, they exposed us to many religions and let us choose. We were invited to attend church with our mother and services with our father. On holidays, the whole family would worship together. As a kid, I wished I had been told ‘what religion I was’. I found it confusing, but also fun. We’d have a big bagel and lox celebration after midnight mass on Christmas Eve. I identified more with my Christian friends in middle school because all my Jewish friends were going to religious school several times a week together and forming tight bonds. When I met my Jewish husband at 18, I started a journey to learn more about Judaism. When we got married six years later, it was by a Rabbi and we decided to raise our family with Jewish traditions.

“My faith means a great deal to me. It guides and sustains me. It motivates me to do everything in my power to repair the world.

“I’ve had many career changes throughout my life, but my favorite ‘job’ is as a full-time community volunteer. I teach art at Central Institute for the Deaf, conduct site visits for a collective giving group, lead art activities at Hawthorn and City Academy, and tutor and volunteer at Monroe Elementary School in St. Louis through Temple Israel’s partnership.

“This January, I just started a master’s in counseling program and plan to become a clinical counselor specializing under-resourced children and adolescents.”

Want to support Liz's efforts to repair the world? Visit www.ti-stl.org/MonroeStore to support the Monroe Holiday Gift Store!