Terry and Marcia Reisman
Terry and Marcia Reisman Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
During a casual conversation in our car in 1987 on the way home from a TBA Bar Mitzvah, Terry and I discussed whether we should continue our membership at the Temple, as it was growing so large and the Bar/Bat Mitzvahs were up to four each Shabbat. The shrill and cry rose up from the back seat - two crying children shouting between sobs, “Beth Am is like our home. We don’t want to go anywhere else!” Yes, Beth Am is our second home. We joined in 1964 as a UM Medical student and young teacher wife. Joan Schwartzman and David Stuart welcomed us to become members for free. They believed it would be a wise move for the future. And it was. All three children, Andrew, Jill and Jeffrey, attended Day School, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Confirmation, BAFTY, SEFTY, BBYO, Hebrew High School, Alexander Muss High School in Israel, participated in Beth Americans, New Generation and Troubadours singing groups and they are all raising Jewish children. Our Havurah , Mishpachat Ahava , established in 1977 with the assistance of Rabbi Mitchell Chefitz, adopted three refusenik families, all of whom we helped to gain release from the Soviet Union and are in touch with for over 30 years. All of this came from the platform established at Temple Beth Am.
Marcia jumped in with both feet, joining Sisterhood, serving on the Temple Board of Directors and as a Vice President, establishing a relevant Adult Education Program, leading the Havurah movement at Beth Am, teaching in the Day School and a unique and very popular class in Monday Night School, “You Can Change the World.” She helped to organize PATIO and created the Shabbat Challah Program , as well as served on the Day School Board. Our Havurah women became part of Lenore Kipper’s first Adult Bar/Bat Mitzvah Class. Marcia was a National UAHC Board Facilitator, and President of the Alpert JCC immediately after Hurricane Andrew, helping to spread Tikkun Olam throughout our destitute community. Beth Am’s Tikkun Olam program has reached out to Casa Valentina, an organization Marcia and Susan Lampen helped to found in 2004. Terry was a Brotherhood member, a Camp Coleman Committee member for sixteen years and Camp Chairman for four years, a Melton Graduate, and attended all the children’s Beth Am basketball games. We have continued to support the Temple as members of the Committee of One Hundred. Proudly, we have nurtured our eight grandchildren by sending Jared, Robert, Micah and Charlie to Camp Coleman, “ kvelling ” at Jared Reisman’s Bar Mitzvah and sister Eliana who is learning the Aleph Bet in Atlanta. We sang “the bread song” at Shabbat with four-year-old Julia Bea and one-year-old Matthew MacGregor in Houston. Our Gainesville, Georgia Reismans, Robert, Charlie and Caroline have a challenge in a small non- Jewish community but are learning Hebrew via Skype with a teacher in Israel, thanks to Andrew’s dedication to Judaism.
As we begin our 51st year of marriage and our 50th year as Temple Beth Am members, we love attending Rochelle’s exceptionally beautiful musical services, watching the youth programs thrive and celebrating the joyful holidays and life cycle events of this community. During Terry’s illness, we were comforted by our wonderful Rabbis’ hospital visits and are so thankful to Bill Sussman who pushed Terry in his wheel chair around Baptist Lake, Adrienne Messing who made him laugh and Robyn Fisher who warmed his heart. We look forward to continued learning from our current Rabbis and welcoming new leadership to our Beth Am Family, as we continue enjoy the magic that is Temple Beth Am. Our commitment extended to other Jewish agencies, including Greater Miami Jewish Federation leadership and participation in four Community Missions to Israel and one to Poland. Our commitment to the Alper JCC has continued since 1980 when Marcia joined the Board of Directors, followed by the Presidency in 1993. Terry joined the Board in 2000 and was an integral part of the JCC Golf and Fishing Tournaments. Marcia also sat on the Board of CAJE for several years, as Jewish Education has always been a priority. We are all in this together, Jewish life in Miami. Each synagogue and each agency needs to link together to make this a vibrant community with multiple entry points for everyone to engage. Leadership that crosses the boundaries of many institutions creates a web that holds the community together. We applaud our many friends who understand the importance of linkage between the many Jewish organizations. It is key to our future existence in the Miami community.
Temple Beth Am AND Rambam Day School
Presented by The Foundation of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation
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