a message from Shomrei President, Michael Sag…

Dear Friends,

I am thrilled to announce that Miriam Haimes will be Shomrei’s Honoree this year at Art Mazel Tov, an annual event celebrating an individual for deep dedication and service to our community. And as Miriam retires from her board position as the past president, we are also honoring another Community Leader, Mara Weinstein who is moving forward in her service to Shomrei.

Our Ad Journal will be dedicated to Miriam and Mara, for all they bring to our congregation.

Save the Date! Art Mazel Tov, Saturday, March 2 at 7:30. Ticket and Ad Journal Sales Start January 15th!

Join us for Art Mazel Tov!
An evening honoring past Shomrei President, Miriam Haimes, and Rising Star, Mara Weinstein.
Saturday, March 2nd, 7:30pm
Tickets on sale, January 15th.

Place a Message of Congratulations in our Member Directory / Ad Journal
Everyone at Shomrei receives a printed Community Directory which includes sentiments for this year’s honorees. Express your thoughts and feelings and contribute to this year’s Ad Journal! Be creative. Be introspective. Be imaginative.
Ads on sale, January 15th.

About Miriam Haimes
Each year we honor a congregant who has had a significant impact on our community and there is no one I can think of that has contributed to our community like Miriam.

Miriam and her husband David joined Shomrei in 1986 shortly after moving to Montclair and became an engaged member almost immediately. She chose Shomrei on the recommendation of her childhood friend, Todd Wieseneck, and quickly became involved with the social life of the congregation, through the Young Couples’ Club. New to the community, she made Shomrei a second home for herself and David and their daughter Ilana who was born six years later and grew up in the Shomrei family. Miriam engaged with the governance of the congregation—starting on the Education committee where she became VP of Education which then led to her stepping in as Treasurer. Miriam’s education and CPA designation made her ideal for her role as treasurer—she made certain that Shomrei was fiscally stable and sound! She traveled with Shomrei on its first congregational Israel trip at the end of 2006 led by Rabbi Shapiro, building lasting relationships with her fellow travelers.

After more than a decade on the Board of Trustees, Miriam took a short break from Shomrei leadership—and became involved with NJ Coalition Against Human Trafficking. As at Shomrei, she applied her expertise as a business leader to ultimately become CFO of this vital organization. And when Miriam finally retired as a CFO at TD bank, Shomrei approached her to return to the board and become President of the Board of Trustees.

Miriam became President July 2020—just as the world was shutting down because of Covid. Her impact on our Shomrei community through COVID was immeasurable. Through the crisis Miriam served as our rock and our leader…ensuring that we would remain connected regardless of the challenges presented by a pandemic. Miriam stepped in to establish and lead the Moving Forward committee—the group charged with keeping the community alive even as we were separated from each other. She was our center as the world spun…and we held together.

(Video: Miriam’s invitation to online Services during the pandemic)

Miriam’s impact did not stop there. We made it through Covid and Miriam began the rebuilding. She appointed a multigenerational Rabbi Search committee—providing support and trust—enabling them to do the hard work of finding a new Rabbi for Shomrei resulting in our terrific new leader, Rabbi Julie Roth.

Along with hiring a new Rabbi, other changes were happening in the Education and Operations team. Miriam speaks of her leadership in bringing a new staff to the congregation as one of her greatest contributions…she created and supported the teams that began a new chapter at Shomrei.

About Mara Weinstein
Mara Weinstein is part of that new chapter! Mara is a lawyer who works at FINRA as the National Administrator. As with many young families, Mara came to Montclair when she and her husband Adam and their children outgrew their apartment in Hoboken, and her oldest, Ari, was ready for kindergarten. Much like Miriam, she followed a friend to Montclair, Donna Podnos, who had already discovered Shomrei’s Preschool, and soon enough Mara enrolled her younger sons, Cole and Gabe. Mara is a committed Conservative Jew who decided that she would make Shomrei her family’s community as well as her children’s school.

Mara quickly joined the Education Committee and began building a community of young families, connecting and cajoling new families to attend the many children’s programs. Families responded to the call of this natural connector. And as she built this community, she agreed to serve on the Rabbi Search Committee, representing her cohort of new families with intelligence, diligence, and grace.  

Today Mara is the VP of Education and Co-Chair of the Education committee. Her engagement with family programming has brought new members to Shomrei who are filling the halls of our building with energy and laughter. As Mara reflects on her service to Shomrei, she is proud of creating a young family community where she can thrive, and her children can learn to love being Jewish. Even more, with her big heart and her extraordinary efficiency, Mara is making a space where we can all love being Jewish!

Please join me in honoring Miriam and Mara by purchasing an ad thanking them for their service and attending Art Mazel Tov on March 2nd. We are all so excited to toast these two women, their service to Shomrei, and their incredible impact in bringing Shomrei to where we are today!

Warmly,
Michael Sag
President
Shomrei Emunah

Editor’s note: This message was originally emailed to the congregation on January 3, 2024.