As Your New President...

This is my first Kol Kehillah Newsletter article as your President. Very exciting!  It is a privilege to write this article as your new President. I am deeply grateful for the trust you have placed in me, and I take on this role with both humility and excitement. I would like to begin by expressing my sincere gratitude to Robin Shafer for her dedicated and thoughtful leadership. Robin has consistently served our congregation with integrity and with the best interests of Temple Kehillat Chaim at heart. I plan to build on her accomplishments, of which there are many. Because of her steady guidance, we are well positioned for the future. I would also like to thank our new Board of Trustees. Your willingness to step forward, to give your time and talents, speaks to the strength of this community. We have both challenges and wonderful opportunities ahead, and I am grateful to be facing them together.

For those of you I have not yet had the opportunity to meet, I would like to share a bit about myself and my family. My husband Harold and I have 2 children: our daughter, Stephanie, and our son, Adam.  I was born in Queens, NY and raised on Long Island.  My parents, both teachers, taught my siblings and I the importance of family, Judaism and the rewards of giving back to the community.  I spent my married life in Westchester working and raising our children. My professional experience before retiring in 2023 encompassed serving as a Hospital Administrator, managing multiple practices for Mt. Sinai, NY Presbyterian, and several other healthcare facilities. Eight years ago, we made the move to Roswell from New Rochelle, New York.  Moving to Roswell, Georgia was, to say the least, a significant change for us. During that time of transition, this temple provided us with something truly invaluable: stability, connection, and a sense of belonging. Temple Kehillat Chaim quickly became our spiritual home and our extended family.

Since joining the temple, our family has continued to grow in joyful ways. Harold and I are proud grandparents to Stephanie’s two-year-old son, David, and Adam has married our daughter-in-law Idalia and are expecting their first child in August. We joined the temple around the same time that Rabbi Jason Holtz arrived, and I am thrilled that he has recently signed a new eleven-year contract. Knowing that Rabbi Holtz will continue to lead and inspire us for the next decade is a tremendous milestone and a source of strength and continuity for our congregation.

Our temple has demonstrated remarkable resilience over the past several years. Like so many communities, we faced uncertainty during the pandemic, yet we emerged stronger. We successfully returned to in-person worship, reconnected with one another, and reaffirmed the importance of gathering as a community. I am also proud to share that this past year, we raised over $100,000 for our capital fund, bringing us very close to our goal. This achievement reflects the generosity and commitment of our members. I plan to continue this campaign so that we can complete the necessary renovations to our social hall, ensuring it remains a welcoming and functional space for celebrations, learning, and connections for years to come.

Over the next two years, my primary focus will be to ensure that Temple Kehillat Chaim continues to be a place of warmth, inclusiveness, and meaningful community. I am committed to increasing our presence in the local area and expanding our social action initiatives so that our values are reflected not only within our walls but throughout the broader community. We can collaborate with various agencies serving our community that need volunteers.  Additionally, we may consider inviting guest speakers and organizing informational sessions that would engage both school-aged children and adults. Topics could range from discussions featuring Holocaust survivors and their families, addressing antisemitism, to healthcare information and other subjects based on suggestions and interests from participants.  If these efforts speak to you, I encourage you to get involved. Your ideas, energy, and participation are essential, and together we can make a real and lasting impact.

We will also continue to prioritize growing our membership. Our previous past president, Seth Litman, often referred to our congregation as the “best-kept secret in Roswell.” It is time to change that. We have something truly special here, and one of the most powerful ways to share it is through personal connection. Word of mouth remains one of the most effective tools we have, and I ask each of you to help spread the word about our welcoming community and the meaningful experiences we offer. 

I am truly honored to serve you as President, and I look forward to working alongside each of you as we build the next chapter of our temple together. Thank you for your trust, your support, and your commitment to Temple Kehillat Chaim.