Reprinted with permission from the Jewish Ledger July 11, 2003

Baby naming inspires entire family to join Windsor synagogue

By: Stacey Dresner                                                                 July 11, 2003

When Heather and Eric Groenstein were looking for a synagogue where they could hold a baby naming for their daughter Sophie, the unaffiliated interfaith couple decided to try Congregation Beth Ahm in Windsor, a Conservative temple just a few doors down from their home.

On the day of the baby naming, the congregation also honored grandparents in the congregation, including Heather and Eric's parents, Marcy and Tony Stabile of West Hartford and Karen and Ted Groenstein of Windsor.

"It was so warm. Rabbi Alan [Lefkowitz] and the whole congregation embraced us," recalled Marcy.

The service that day did more than introduce young Sophie to Judaism. It has brought the whole family into the arms of Beth Ahm.

Soon after the baby-naming, Karen Groenstein, who had been raised as a Methodist, converted to Judaism. A year later, she and Marcy Stabile, who had never had a bat mitzvah, celebrated their b'not mitzvah together at Beth Ahm, where they and their husbands have become members.

In June, Heather, an artist who teaches middle school at the Learning Corridor in West Hartford, completed a large mural and presented it to the congregation in honor of the June 7 rededication of the building, which has recently undergone extensive renovations.

The acrylic painting with an overlay of pastels and golf leaf depicts the domes and rooftops of Jerusalem at dusk. Heather, who hasn't yet been to Israel, used a variety of photographs of Jerusalem to create the painting.

"The congregation has been very good to my family," Heather explained. "I wanted to do something special and I was very inspired."

"It is a beautiful piece of art," said Rabbi Lefkowitz. "It is another way of expressing one's heart and one's connectedness to G-d."

Family affair

Heather, a native of West Hartford and graduate of Hall High School, and her husband, Eric, moved to Windsor six years ago.

Heather's mother Marcy was born and raised in Windsor, but has lived in West Hartford for many years. Her husband, Tony, is a convert to Judaism.

Unaffiliated since after their children left home, the Stabiles say they fell in love with Beth Ahm after Sophie's baby naming.

"Tony and I joined right after the baby naming," Marcy said. "It was like we had come home."

Even Marcy's mother, Sylvia Salad, 83, who now lives in Florida but came up to attend the baby naming, has joined the synagogue. She now gets weekly calls from Rabbi Lefkowitz.

Karen Groenstein, Eric's mother, also felt a connection to the synagogue and to Judaism after her granddaughter's baby naming.

"Sitting here that day, something spiritual happened," Karen said. "I thought it was just happening to me, but I realized that Marcy and Tony felt the same way."

When Karen decided to convert to Judaism, Marcy recalls telling her that she shouldn't feel pressured.

"I said, ‘I hope you aren't doing this because you think it will make us love you more,'" Marcy said. "But she really felt she wanted to do it."

The two took introduction to Judaism and bat mitzvah classes with Rabbi Alan (as all of the congregation members refer to him), then celebrated their bat mitzvahs on the same day a year ago.

Today, they are both officers of the growing synagogue which now has around 100 family members.

"The whole family is just amazing," Rabbi Lefkowitz said. "Karen converted a year ago and now she, along with Marcy, is an officer. They have made a really nice commitment."

Lefkowitz described his congregation as "relaxed Conservative."

"I think they like what we presented to them," he continued. "We spoke to what their needs are. We represent all aspects of Judaism. We are inclusive of everyone and everything."

©Jewish Ledger 2003