Blog

from our outgoing Executive Director

My Temple Israel story began the year I was born (1969) when my parents joined as an interfaith couple. Rabbi Rubin was gracious enough to do a religious ceremony for them and from that moment, our family has grown (three generations) and so has the strength of my bond to TI.

It is bittersweet that my tenure as your Executive Director is ending. Through every step of my TI journey, I have grown from and loved my experience. This job (or more of a calling) has been a true pleasure. I have enjoyed getting to know so many of you on a deeper level. I am eternally thankful for the support, constructive feedback, and collaboration you have given to me from day one. I have enjoyed seeing you at Shabbat services on Friday nights and brainstorming with many of you on specific projects that have made TI a better place.

I am thankful for Rob Litz, Louise Losos, and Amy Knoblock-Hahn for being great leaders and giving me the guidance I needed while also allowing me to feel empowered. There are too many lay leaders to thank by name, but you know who you are, and I cannot thank you enough for the time and dedication you give to TI and the support you give to our staff.

I am thankful for Rabbi Amy and Rabbi Michael who are amazing spiritual leaders. Each has allowed me to do my job so they could do theirs and spend more time with our members and the greater community. I am especially thankful for the TI staff. Each one of you has so much talent, and I have loved watching you grow and assume more responsibility over the past seven years. I give a special shout out to Martina Stern, our incoming Executive Director. I first met Martina in the summer of 2017, and I was impressed. Her care and passion for TI shined through and her commitment to TI’s continuing success is never ending.

Thanks to our past Presidents, the Executive Committee, and the Board of Trustees for allowing us to make changes to TI’s operations that have better positioned us for the future. From outsourcing our accounting to changing our member portal to improving our policies and procedures, I feel the staff has been supported and trusted. It is from the work of all of us that our membership continues to grow as new people seek to join our community.

A shout out to my family. I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of TI’s staff while my nieces and nephews had their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, and having been able to participate in so many Temple events with my “country cousins,” from Cuba and Sullivan, Missouri. I am so proud that my family and extended family are part of our TI family. A special thank you to my Mom, Lynn Wallis, who is always so supportive and generous to this community and has set an example for our entire family.

As you can tell, TI has a very special place in my heart and will always be part of the fabric of who I am professionally and personally. I joined TI’s Heritage Society because I have seen how bequests from our members lay the foundational support for future generations. No matter the size of the gift, it is always heartwarming to know that someone thought of helping secure TI’s future.

Hakarat ha’tov! I am truly thankful for the opportunity you have given me.

Rachel Wallis Andreasson