A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us on March 30, 2024 in honoring Rabbi Scolnic for his remarkable 40 years of service, dedication, and love for our congregation and community. It was a joyous occasion filled with warmth, laughter, and cherished memories. Here is an excerpt of my welcome message:
For the past 21 months, I have had the honor of reading the announcements on the bima at Friday Night and Saturday Morning services. Sometimes, at the end of a month I will quiz the congregants who are in person and on Zoom to see if they are actually listening to me. It’s like a fill-in-the-blank quiz.
For example, weekday morning minyan begins at ___(7:15am). Unless it’s Rosh Chodesh and it begins at ___(7:00am). Evening minyan begins at ___(6:45pm). You can buy grocery cards for Stop & Shop, ShopRite and ___(BigY). And for all up-to-date Temple information, please visit our website, and check
your emails every Monday for the___(Temple Tablet).
Now let’s see how much you have been paying attention to Rabbi Scolnic these past 40 years. Rabbi Scolnic’s favorite football team is ___ (Washington Red Skins/Washington Commanders). His Bible Class is held every___ (Wednesday night). Rabbi Scolnic’s children are Rachel, Danny, Joshua and___ (Sarah). Rabbi’s grandchildren are Xander, Avi, Leah, Talia and___ (Isabel). Rabbi Scolnic’s amazing wife is ___(Dorene). And last one, Rabbi Scolnic’s favorite Temple President is ___. [ALL PAST PRESIDENTS WHO ARE IN-PERSON STAND AT THEIR TABLE SAYING “ME” …] Steve, Hinda, Shira, Henry, Brian, Evan, Stuart, Eta, Jerry, Lenny, Joan
These are TBS Past Presidents who have all sat on the bimah with Rabbi Scolnic. I think I can speak on behalf of all of us and say that you’re our favorite Rabbi.
At this time, please raise your glass as we toast to Rabbi Scolnic’s 40 Years at TBS because
“You’re simply the best,
Better than all the rest.
Better than any Rabbi,
Any Rabbi we’ve ever met.”
L’Chaim.
Before the real entertainment begins, I’d like to share that the centerpieces on the table are books that will be donated to local organizations and Little Free Libraries in the community. Should you have any complaints about the sound or lighting tonight, please direct them to Steve Schulefand. Now, let’s give a warm welcome to our Musical Director…Steve Schulefand!
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Special thank you to the following for piecing together a wonderful show to honor Rabbi Scolnic: Musical Director: Steve Schulefand; Accompanist: Lisa Zima; TBS Singers: Sabrina Brooks, Marjorie Drucker, Gordon Fain, Paul Fortgang, Malcolm Friedman, Ilene Lefland, Betty Litto, Jill Maller, Michelle Murphy, Andrea Smith, Linda Sadinsky, and David Ullman.
The TBS Singers performed “Hallelujah”, “Good Morning Starshine”, “Somewhere”, “Save the Last Dance”, “Anything Goes”, “Forever in Blue Jeans”, “Lean On Me”, “What the World Needs Now”, “We are the Champions”, “You’ve Got a Friend”, “Wild World”, “As Time Goes By”, “Over the Rainbow”, “Up on the Roof”, “Sweet “Beth Sholom”, “I Feel the Earth Move”, and “We are Family”. Overall, the repertoire of songs performed showcased a wonderful blend of emotions, themes, and musical styles, contributing to a memorable and enjoyable event for all.
Congratulations to Rabbi Scolnic and Talia Scolnic on their TBS debut.
Thank you to the planning committee: Hinda Piscitelle, Rachel Scolnic Dobin, Leah Dobin, Eve Gold, Eta Kaplan, Marla Beck, Gary Drucker, Andrea Smith and Shira Rosenblatt. Thank you to the many others who helped, including Larry Hyatt, David Margolis, Jerry and Diane Bordokin, Michelle Murphy’s Family, Shayna Lakin, and Joel Evans.
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The atmosphere during the night of the show was truly electrifying. Laughter, music, and camaraderie filled the air as people sang along and enjoyed each other’s company. However, in the days that followed, as the room returned to its usual arrangement of tables and chairs, a sense of emptiness lingered, reminding us of the special moments shared during the event. Nevertheless, the show left us hopeful that we will continue to host events like this, fostering connections and creating cherished memories for years to come.
In addition to donating books locally, a portion of proceeds will benefit families in need in Israel.