I’d like to begin my first President’s column by thanking Nancy Margulis for all her hard work and dedication as Congregational President the last two years. She’s done a great job, and I’m glad she remains on the board as Past President as I transition into the role. Over the years, there have been many outstanding presidents of our congregation, some of whom may be reading this right now. I am humbled to take on this service following the many “greats” that have come before, including Holocaust survivor Dr. Jacob Eisenbach, who returned to present his story this spring at Temple Judah. These are big shoes to fill!
For those of you who don’t know me, I moved to Cedar Rapids from Indiana in 2011 when I began work full-time as an engineer at Rockwell Collins. After meeting my future husband, Joe Diner, I began attending service at Temple Judah in 2013. After falling in love with Joe and Judaism, I completed my conversion shortly before we married in 2014. I became more involved in the Temple Judah community when Joe joined the board in 2015. As chair of the Website committee, I lead the effort to increase our online presence, including building the new website, adding the public Facebook page and YouTube channel, and getting us on Google Maps. After the previous 1st VP left partway through his term for work relocation last year, I stepped up to join the board in that role. Through my experiences at Temple Judah, including board and committee involvement, volunteer activities, classes, and social events, I have come to appreciate how special our community is. Not only do we have a beautiful sanctuary, great facilities and timeless Jewish artifacts, but we have wonderful, caring people who have invested countless hours into making Temple Judah a home. I want to use my time as President to continue fostering that sense of family, connecting one generation of members to the next. Although only God knows where time will lead my family, I want to help build a community where my two month old son, Max, could grow in his understanding and appreciation for Judaism.
As incoming Congregational President of Temple Judah, my duty is to work in partnership with the board, rabbi, and congregation to make a positive impact in the Temple Judah community. I would like to get to know the people in the congregation more closely and represent the interests of the members of Temple Judah. I am here to listen, so please feel free to reach out to me. I am looking forward to serving the next two years as Temple Judah President!
Shalom,
Jill
President