SO FAR WE'VE RAISED $3,636,920 FROM 172 DONORS!
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Michael & Carol Masters
by Harriette Ellis
If you are among our congregants who have stepped up to be counted as donor/participants to the Capital Campaign – Ki Va Moed — to remodel, refurbish, and revitalize our cherished temple, then you understand exactly how Carol and Michael Masters must feel.
After making a most generous commitment, these long time members spoke to us about why they felt the desire to participate. “The institution must survive,” said Mike, ever the vigorous, from his hospital bed, “without regard to personalities!” Not shy about his feelings, his friends know him as a man who speaks the truth boldly and with resolve. For 42 years, the Masters have taken an active role at Temple Israel, with Carol teaching for 29 years in the religious school’s pre-school and first grade (Carol actually developed the preschool program at temple), and Mike serving on the Board of Education, the House Committee, plus both of them serving on the Religious Practices Committee for many years. Mike gleefully described his experiences serving on the Purim Carnival with John Blumberg: “We were on the Carnival Committee ad nauseam with both of us [slaving] over the hot dogs on a hot stove for 10 years!” Carol and Mike’s son, David, was a bar mitzvah at temple.
Until recently, Mike served on the Temple Israel Foundation, however serious medical problems have made it difficult, indeed impossible, to continue. “But I accomplished what I wanted to do,” he said. “One, I helped [the Foundation] change brokers,” indicating they weren’t meeting the temple’s needs, “and two, we rewrote the rules,” which were not as definitive as they should be, he explained. While Mike found it almost impossible to continue to serve on the Foundation Board, serve he did, for awhile -- by speakerphone, and that gave him the opportunity and satisfaction to truly participate.
The couple spoke with fondness of some of the past Temple Israel projects they were deeply involved in, such as, the “Mensches for Benches” when all the pews in the sanctuary were refinished by a small group of dedicated members. “It was a good project and we worked hard,” reminisced Carol. She also recalled all the hamatashen she instructed the pre-schoolers to bake, and the time Rabbi Lisa took one of the Torahs, unrolled it and the teachers wrapped it around all the little ones so they could see how long it was; thus, another temple tradition was created.
They are excited about the plansfor a temple “new look” that were exhibited during the High Holy Days and now can be seen in the temple foyer. They expressed hope that all of our congregants will feel motivated to make some level of contribution to the renovation. Carol expressed concern about contributors’ names being lost among the many members who give to the Campaign, but an assurance gave her satisfaction that every donation will be acknowledged in several visible areas around the temple. She laughingly said, “I don’t want our name listed near the broom closet!”
With a long commitment to temple and Jewish life, Carol and Mike came to Temple Israel from Temple Sinai in Glendale where their families were members. Both of their families had been very active there, and their fathers’ names are on the temple walls. That’s where Carol and Mike met as youngsters. After their marriage, and when Mike began working in Long Beach at North American Aviation, they joined Temple Israel under a plan just created: new young members would receive a free one-year membership. It was a visionary idea and proved a good investment by our board. Thank you Carol and Mike for your devotion to Temple Israel, and your generosity.
If you are among our congregants who have stepped up to be counted as donor/participants to the Capital Campaign – Ki Va Moed — to remodel, refurbish, and revitalize our cherished temple, then you understand exactly how Carol and Michael Masters must feel.
After making a most generous commitment, these long time members spoke to us about why they felt the desire to participate. “The institution must survive,” said Mike, ever the vigorous, from his hospital bed, “without regard to personalities!” Not shy about his feelings, his friends know him as a man who speaks the truth boldly and with resolve. For 42 years, the Masters have taken an active role at Temple Israel, with Carol teaching for 29 years in the religious school’s pre-school and first grade (Carol actually developed the preschool program at temple), and Mike serving on the Board of Education, the House Committee, plus both of them serving on the Religious Practices Committee for many years. Mike gleefully described his experiences serving on the Purim Carnival with John Blumberg: “We were on the Carnival Committee ad nauseam with both of us [slaving] over the hot dogs on a hot stove for 10 years!” Carol and Mike’s son, David, was a bar mitzvah at temple.
Until recently, Mike served on the Temple Israel Foundation, however serious medical problems have made it difficult, indeed impossible, to continue. “But I accomplished what I wanted to do,” he said. “One, I helped [the Foundation] change brokers,” indicating they weren’t meeting the temple’s needs, “and two, we rewrote the rules,” which were not as definitive as they should be, he explained. While Mike found it almost impossible to continue to serve on the Foundation Board, serve he did, for awhile -- by speakerphone, and that gave him the opportunity and satisfaction to truly participate.
The couple spoke with fondness of some of the past Temple Israel projects they were deeply involved in, such as, the “Mensches for Benches” when all the pews in the sanctuary were refinished by a small group of dedicated members. “It was a good project and we worked hard,” reminisced Carol. She also recalled all the hamatashen she instructed the pre-schoolers to bake, and the time Rabbi Lisa took one of the Torahs, unrolled it and the teachers wrapped it around all the little ones so they could see how long it was; thus, another temple tradition was created.
They are excited about the plansfor a temple “new look” that were exhibited during the High Holy Days and now can be seen in the temple foyer. They expressed hope that all of our congregants will feel motivated to make some level of contribution to the renovation. Carol expressed concern about contributors’ names being lost among the many members who give to the Campaign, but an assurance gave her satisfaction that every donation will be acknowledged in several visible areas around the temple. She laughingly said, “I don’t want our name listed near the broom closet!”
With a long commitment to temple and Jewish life, Carol and Mike came to Temple Israel from Temple Sinai in Glendale where their families were members. Both of their families had been very active there, and their fathers’ names are on the temple walls. That’s where Carol and Mike met as youngsters. After their marriage, and when Mike began working in Long Beach at North American Aviation, they joined Temple Israel under a plan just created: new young members would receive a free one-year membership. It was a visionary idea and proved a good investment by our board. Thank you Carol and Mike for your devotion to Temple Israel, and your generosity.
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