Mazal Tov to our Chatah Torah and Kalah Beresheit!
Chatan Torah: David Bayer
As we complete the Torah cycle this year, it is especially meaningful to reflect on the strength, resilience, and commitment of our community. And it is a great privilege to honor David Bayer as our Chatan Torah.
David served as our Ritual Chair for seven years, and there is perhaps no one more deserving of the honor of completing our Torah cycle. He is deeply committed to the full kriyah—a complete Torah reading. Throughout his years as Ritual Chair, he made sure that our readings were full each week, often taking on the longer and more challenging portions himself, as he continues to do today.
It was also during this time that David had the idea to launch Virtual Tikkun. What began as a synagogue project has grown into something much larger—a vehicle for Torah learning that now reaches far beyond these walls.
David has also served on our board, helped build and strengthen our community through ritual, and takes great care of our Torah scrolls. His dedication to Torah, to our rituals, and to our community has been wholehearted.
We are deeply grateful for all that David has given to our synagogue, and we are honored to call him to the Torah this morning for this very special honor: Chatan Torah.
Kalah Beresheit: Marsha Glantz
As we begin our Torah cycle for another year, it is especially meaningful to honor someone who cares deeply about the rhythms and cycles of the Jewish year and about our community’s commitment to ritual and in particular, our minyan. We are delighted to honor Marsha Glantz.
Marsha has been part of the Beth Sholom community for many years. She had her adult Bat Mitzvah here in 1994, and her connection to this community goes back even further. She and Stan were married here in 1972, and has continued that tradition across generations, with her children celebrating their B’nai Mitzvah here as well.
Marsha is kind, welcoming and committed—and somehow, she seems to be everywhere at once!
As Shamash for our minyan, Marsha is a vital part of creating Jewish community at morning minyan. She arrives early, prepares the space and food, sets up Zoom, greets everyone with a warm smile, distributes honors, dresses and redresses the Torah and makes sure that the community is cared for from beginning to end.
But her commitment to Jewish life extends far beyond the morning minyan. She contributes her wisdom and thoughtfulness to Torah study, serves as a Shabbat greeter, supports Chicken Soupers, and consistently finds ways to strengthen the connections among us.
Marsha understands that Jewish community is built through showing up—for ritual, for Torah, for one another, and for the countless small acts of care that make a community feel like home.
She is a wonderful embodiment of Jewish communal commitment. We are deeply grateful for all that Marsha gives to Beth Sholom and to Jewish life, and we are honored to recognize her this morning.
