Ellen and Richard Chassin

We joined Shaaray Tefila when we moved to Armonk over 22 years ago. We had other options like everyone else but were immediately drawn to this beautiful synagogue and its caring community that welcomed us so warmly.

Shaaray quickly became a place of community for all stages of our lives as a family to help us celebrate our joyous occasions and mourn the deaths of three parents. Ellen served on the Engagement Committee, Cantorial Search Committee, and the Green Team. She also serves on the Israel Action Committee, which is near and dear to her heart in large part because of our family’s life-changing trip to Israel for Jessica’s Bat Mitzvah. That trip was so meaningfully led by Rabbi David Greenberg and joined by other Shaaray families with whom we forged lasting friendships.

As embodied by Rabbi Greenberg’s lifelong mission, now fully embraced by Rabbi David Wilfond, Shaaray Tefila’s commitment to social action and Tikkun Olam is important to us. As we try to raise children, who are compassionate, thoughtful, and engaged with the serious issues that challenge us globally, we are forever grateful to our clergy for providing that essential context.

Together with Lauren and Jessica, Ellen regularly participates in making soup with our neighbors in the Shaaray kitchen. Delivering soup -- and teddy bears made by Jessica and her friends at her Bat Mitzvah-- to the Ronald McDonald House at the Maria Ferrari Children’s Hospital are very special memories for our family. Making those personal connections with families of sick children reinforced for us that even small acts of kindness can contribute to improving the world around us.

Richard has become involved in several aspects of temple life, currently serving on the Board of Trustees and as one of the vice presidents (third in line, actually) under the extraordinary leadership of our President Sharon Feldman and steady hand of Interim Executive Director Leslie Lichter. He also served on the Strategic Advisory Council, Rabbinic Transition Council, Executive Director Search Committee, and a few others.

We are especially grateful to our co-honorees and friends Lisa and Bill Glenn and Stephanie Di Christina for all that they have done to sustain our special community and make Shaaray such a vibrant place. And none of Shaaray Tefila’s important work could be accomplished without our dedicated staff and the engagement efforts of Alli West, for which we are also so grateful.

While we are pleased to be honored at the 2022 Gala for our past efforts, we are committed to doing our part to assure the future success of Shaaray Tefila. With the support of our broader community, that future looks especially bright with the impending joyful addition of our new Cantor Inés Kapustiansky and continuing thoughtful guidance and compassionate leadership of Rabbi Wilfond, who is deeply committed to engaging all of us on lifelong spiritual journeys.