Tonight I had the pleasure of going to Shabbat services at Congregation Rodeph Shalom to see my friend David Fischer complete his conversion to Judaism and to hear his husband my dear friend (and first boss) Heshie Zinman read from the Torah. Many friends were in the congregation tonight, and it was wonderful to hear the Rabbi connect the Torah portion to the LGBT civil rights struggle. After dinner, the LGBT Congregation Beth Ahavah @ Rodeph Shalom hosted a dinner to honor the leadership of RS and BA--- and it was moving to hear the President and Past President of RS speak so powerfully about the commitment of RS to marriage equality and LGBT citizens rights. All of my worlds were knitted together when wandering the hallways I again found the Confirmation Photos for 1982 and 1983-- with so many old high school friends in vintage 1980s hairstyles and fashion. I remember attending many bar and bat mitzvahs in the RS sanctuary in 1979, and it was great to come back again, thirty five years later, to reconnect to this wonderful synagogue. And who knew that RS had the Snitzer Music Fund? No wonder their music is so fantastic. Finally, I can never talk about RS without channeling its beautiful past architecture-- the Frank Furness Moorish design that was demolished c. 1928. I always love Frank Furness and mourn the old synagogue building, though I love the new one too.
Posted on: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 01:57:57 +0000
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