Temple Shaaray Tefila Spring Gala celebration was stunning and enjoyed by all!

Saturday, June 11^th, Temple Shaary Tefila hosted their first large scale, in person event at the Temple since 2020.  A welcome opportunity to celebrate both inside and outside on their beautiful grounds.  Chaired by Aggie Zaro, Keri Zaro and Samantha Mann, the event focused on the theme of the evening:  “celebrating our Jewish roots and planting new roots together for the future” with the theme: Strengthen your Roots. Celebrate Community. Grow our Future.

 Funds raised will support temple operations and programs for all ages.  One exciting new initiative is the new TeenCenter opening in the fall.  “Our world will always need thoughtful, inclusive leadership dedicated to making the world a better place.  There is nowhere better to invest in future leadership than our teen community.” shares Temple President, Sharon Feldman.   The center is being created to serve teens in Northern Westchester looking for a community to explore growth in social action, leadership and what Judaism personally means to them today.

The annual gala celebrated five honorees this year.  

Richard and Ellen Chassin: Richard currently serves on the Board of Trustees and as one of the vice presidents. He also served on the Strategic Advisory Council, Rabbinic Transition Council, Executive Director Search Committee, among others. Ellen served on the Engagement Committee, Cantorial Search Committee, and the Green Team. She also serves on the Israel Action Committee.  Together with their daughters, Ellen regularly participates in making soup with our neighbors in the Shaaray kitchen.

Stephanie DiChristina joined Shaaray Tefila so enthusiastically, that even before she became a member, she headed a fundraiser for the preschool which solidly defined Shaaray Tefila as her community.  Stephanie has  taught religious school at Shaaray Tefila for the past 12 years and taught briefly in the nursery school. She has had tremendous impact on both the physical and educational aspects of the temple community. Her passion of creating a  teen center is becoming a reality as Shaaray Tefila launches the Teen Center @ Shaaray this fall as a focal point for teens in Northern Westchester, to become involved in social action, social justice and just being “social.”

Bill and Lisa Glenn:  Bill and Lisa have also been active on temple committees and initiatives over the years. Lisa served on the Caring Community, B’nai Mitzvah Committee and the ECC Parent Committee among others. She is currently on the Membership Committee.  Bill has been deeply involved in many of the temple’s critical initiatives over the years. He served on the Board of Trustees, the Strategic Advisory Council, among others, and is currently serving on the Executive Director Search Committee.

To further honor these outstanding members, the Gala committee crafted signature cocktails featuring seasonal ingredients:

• Watermelon DiChristini
• Chesstini Belini
• The Glenn Gimlet

Entertainment for this star-studded evening was Temple Shaaray Tefila’s own, Noah Chase and his world renowned band, Soulfarm. This was the first time Soulfarm played at the Temple, an internationally popular Jewish Band. 

The event was also catered by Matt Miller Events.

Enjoy this short video sharing all the highlights of the evening!