Grateful to be in this Community
By: Gina Gonsalves Gabai
I have had the pleasure of initially joining the temple nine years ago. It is a remarkable
community led by an incredible staff, in particular Rabbi Franklin and Rabbi Babchuck.
As a Jew by choice looking to marry an orthodox Israeli, I needed a fit for both of us. I
began my search having many encounters with various synagogues- some pleasant and
some not so much. It was important to incorporate the strong religious and cultural
values that my husband had grown up with, while also having the ability for myself to
grasp what Judaism was really about. I feel that Temple Emanu-El accomplishes this.
In today's world we all know what a struggle it is to keep priorities into perspective. We
all need a constant, something that grounds us, a place to bring us “home”.
My first meeting with Rabbi Franklin was nothing short of phenomenal. He was so
welcoming, kind, gentle, intelligent, and trusting. I felt like we had found our place; our home.
Recently I had the pleasure of meeting with Rabbi Babchuck to get more involved with
the temple. He, too, is such an amazing, caring, clever, and sharp-witted individual. He
has extraordinary energy and is such a compliment to both Rabbi Franklin and our
community. I am truly grateful to have these two exceptional people guiding us. To me,
they represent what leaders and faces of a religious communities should stand for. The
community as a whole is something I am also grateful for and am proud to be a part of.