By Laura Lane
The Community Reform Temple, led by Rabbi Judy Cohen-Rosenberg, gets involved in the East Meadow community. Regardless of faith, residents benefit from the temple's many programs and community services.
"A priority for me is to get out into the community and be involved where there is a role," Cohen-Rosenberg said.
One avenue for the rabbi is membership in the East Meadow Clergy Association. The group's religious leaders are of different faiths and gather periodically to discuss community concerns.
"We hold an interfaith service at Thanksgiving and at other times meet to discuss issues," Cohen-Rosenberg said.
CRT's Social Action Program is another way in which members aid the community. "Our Social Action Program works with agencies to try to educate ourselves with the social issues of the community and then help those in need," Cohen-Rosenberg said. "Everyone on the committee has particular interests."
In the past, committee members helped Bowling Green's Adopt-A-Soldier program by collecting items to send to American servicemen and women stationed in Afghanistan. Recently, they collected food for families in need on Passover and Easter. The group has also sent food items to St. Brigid's food pantry in Westbury, an ongoing program provided by the Catholic Church to help the needy in the community. On Christmas, the Social Action Program brought desserts to community workers who were on the job for the holiday.
"We went to the 1st, 3rd and 8th police precincts and the Nassau University Medical Center, Westbury Animal Shelter and Holly Patterson," Cohen-Rosenberg said. "We know that these people were paid to work on the holiday and may not have been needy, but we wanted to thank all of those workers who could have been home with their families."
Located on The Plain Road, CRT is a liberal congregation that moved to its current location in 1975. Committed to guiding each member in making the appropriate decision about how to practice Judaism, the temple offers an active adult-education program. Torah study and adult Hebrew classes are available since, as Cohen-Rosenberg explained, not everyone benefited from a Jewish education as a child. Additionally, 25 years ago, girls did not receive the Jewish education that is encouraged today.
CRT is also known for its multicultural preschool. "The area has changed greatly over the last few years, and it is reflected in our preschool," Cohen-Rosenberg said. "Through the preschool, we are learning about their cultures, and they are learning about ours."
Children enjoy a program that includes study in science, language and music. As an added treat, teachers highlight an artist each month, which Stephanie Freese, the preschool director, said children enjoy tremendously.
"We had the kids paint under a table once to get a feel for what Michelangelo did," Cohen-Rosenberg said. "The children don't need to know the names of the different artists," Freese added. "Just to know there are so many different ways to make art."
There is now much excitement among the children as the big art show approaches in May, when CRT will turn its social hall into a museum exhibiting the children's work.
But you don't have to be in preschool to enjoy activities at CRT. Cohen-Rosenberg said there are many active youth groups, divided by ages. CORTY, the group for high schoolers, organizes many events and interacts with CRT's youngers members.
"The older kids spend a weekend away dedicated to informal Jewish education," Cohen-Rosenberg said. "They go on trips throughout the year, like a tour of Madison Square Garden, horseback riding and ice skating."
The senior group also runs creative workshops for younger children and uses members' individual talents to teach the children. Dance performances, karate demonstrations and art workshops have been used to educate the younger children.
Adults also have many opportunities to enjoy an array of social programs offered at CRT. The Men's Club and Sisterhood sponsor a game night for adults like the Newlywed Game, and the Sisterhood held a mystery dinner night, which everyone enjoyed.
"The mystery was not the food; it was where you were eating it," Cohen-Rosenberg said. "Congregation members are the hosts, and we go from one house to the next to eat different courses."
Like other religious institution, members attend fund-raising events, like an auction and a recent journal dinner-dance. But what is admirable about CRT is Cohen-Rosenberg's commitment to improvement within the temple.
"What we're doing is wonderful, but I would like the opportunity for more congregants to take part," Cohen-Rosenberg said. "If we could expand the opportunities, like add classes on other days and offer a variety of things each night of the week, it would be wonderful."
