Here's To You

                     This page spotlights a congregation member of CBS-BD and others who are important                        to the fabric and culture of our shul. Yasher Koach.

 When I think of Sheldon Grossman, I think of the movie title “Everything, Everywhere All At Once”.  Sheldon is the first person I see when I walk into the main sanctuary at shul on a Shabbat morning, and the first person I see when I participate in a shiva minyan – because most often he is one of the tallest people in the room.

Sheldon is…

“All-around mensch – selfless, supportive and always there when you need him. Every Saturday morning, he warmly greets congregants and new-comers and ensures we have participants for Torah aliyahs and Kiddush. His kindness and dedication make him a cherished and respected member of our community.” Nancy Hochhauser, President

“A big chunk of the heart and soul of our community” – Dr. Martin Greenberg, RLP committee

           “There are a few people in our community who serve as the glue, Sheldon is one of them.” – Rabbi David Lerner

Sheldon was born and raised in Brooklyn in and around Greenpoint. His family belonged to a “conservadox” shul where he went to Hebrew school 5 days a week. He graduated high school at 16 and went to work, then to different colleges, including LIU, and Linden State Teachers’ College in Vermont where, even though he was the only Jewish student in the school, he had a “great time”. When he came back to NY, he entered the fabric manufacturing business and even had his own business for a while supplying printed vinyl for swimming pools. He served in the national guard in the 1960’s, becoming combat ready and receiving riot training.

Sheldon and his family moved to Rockville Centre in 1974. He and his wife Marge, married since 1965, have been members for 50 years. Both of their sons were bar-mitzvah’d at B’nai. Sheldon became part of the morning minyan group – “a small cadre” of people who took him in when he needed to say kaddish for his parents.  Because they were so welcoming, he feels that he must be there for others.  Retired 11 years, Sheldon lends a hand where he can to his sons Mark, 57, and Jay, 53.

I first met Sheldon when I walked into shul one Saturday morning after my Mom had passed away in 2008. I came to say kaddish. Not having been a regular shul goer at that point, I was at a loss as to what to do. Sheldon came over to me, asked my name and ascertained that I was a congregant who had come seeking comradery at a time of loss. He walked me down the aisle and stood beside me as I recited kaddish, in a loud voice, which covered up my faltering one. Because he was warm, inviting and supportive, I went back the next week and kept coming.

In addition to minyanim and Shabbat services, Sheldon was on the Hebrew school (JLC) school board for 40 years; has organized “Sunday morning breakfasts”; had participated in the clergy search committee for our current clergy; has been on the Board of Trustees for umpteen years where his measured comments are well received; has held the position of Financial Secretary; has been on the Religious Life and Practices (RLP) committee; and for the past 224 Shabbats, has taken on the responsibility of making sure that congregants celebrating life cycle events, including memorializing the passing of a family member, are honored with an Aliyah during the torah reading.

When I asked Sheldon what message he would like to leave the reader with, he replied, “There are so many good people in the temple, but we need to see more young people come in and participate. They have an opportunity to be part of a program here to make things happen. We are family.”

By Barbara Kaplan, Member, Board of Trustees