Thursday, October 1, 2026
Temple Am Echad, in Lynbrook, brought families, students and community members together last week for a Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration that blended tradition, education and community spirit.
The May 1 event, marking Israel’s Independence Day, included a pre-service dinner, interactive activities and a family-friendly Shabbat Rishon service intended to engage attendees of all ages.
“This is about the community coming together in celebration of the Jewish homeland,” Janna Trevers-Meyer, one of the event’s organizers and the temple’s incoming vice president of membership, said.
Nearly 90 people gathered for the dinner, sharing Israeli cuisine including falafel, shawarma and hummus. The turnout reflected what Trevers-Meyer described as a strong sense of connection in the congregation.
“We blasted it out on social media and made sure everybody knew what we were doing,” she said. “When our ballroom is kind of full, it’s a really nice feeling.”
After dinner, the Shabbat Rishon service began earlier than usual to accommodate younger children. Second- and third-grade students joined Rabbi Caroline Sim on the bimah to help lead prayers and songs.
Temple Am Echad’s services reflect its Reform tradition, incorporating both English and Hebrew prayers, along with music led by a cantor and an accompanist on piano. The services typically last about an hour, and are open to the public.
For Trevers-Meyer, the celebration was both personal and communal. Having grown up at Temple Emanu-El of Lynbrook, which merged with Temple Saini of Lawrence in 2009 to become Temple Am Echad, she described the congregation as a lifelong home.
“I pretty much grew up there,” she said. “I knew we had to join — it’s my second home.”
Trevers-Meyer’s connection to the temple extends across generations. Her parents, Andrew and Elyse Trevers — both longtime members, and her father a former temple president — have remained active in the congregation. Her husband, Todd Meyer, was recently elected to its board of directors and is involved in the temple’s Feed the Hungry program.
The event also gave longtime members and newcomers a chance to get to know one another. Lee Jacob, co-vice president of membership and engagement, said the celebration reflected the congregation’s focus on bringing people together.
“Our Yom Ha’atzmaut Israeli Independence celebration dinner has brought together all age groups,” Jacob wrote in an email. “We are a very welcoming congregation, and those in attendance wore name tags to add to the community atmosphere.”
Jacob, who became more involved with the temple after retiring as a commodity specialist with U.S. Customs and Border Control, said events like this play an important role in strengthening community ties.
“There was a great deal of planning with our membership committee to make this a successful event,” he wrote. “The turnout for this celebration was 85 participants, and the positive feedback allowed me to feel mission accomplished.”
For younger members, the celebration was also a way to connect with their heritage. Ellen Berghorn, who founded the Temple Am Echad Kids program, said that events like Yom Ha’atzmaut help children engage with their faith in a meaningful and memorable way.
“The Yom Ha’atzmaut celebration helps unite Jews around the world in celebrating freedom,” Berghorn wrote in an email. “Events like parties at the temple allow kids to have fun while learning about their history.”
Berghorn launched the Kids program four years ago, to create opportunities for children ages 7 to 13 to make friendship and get involved in the congregation. She said the program has strengthened connections not only among children, but among families as well.
One of the evening’s activities was a trivia game led by Sim, which drew enthusiastic participation from both children and adults. “It was amazing how all the kids and adults were excited to answer questions about Judaism,” Berghorn wrote.
Beyond the food, the service and the activities, organizers said the evening reflected the temple’s broader mission of connection and fostering a sense of belonging. “There will be a lot of people from our community with this shared experience,” Trevers-Meyer said, “which is what our synagogue is all about.”
