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Rabbi Rick is the guiding light and heartbeat of our congregation, whose wisdom and warmth inspire and uplift us all. We can’t wait for you to meet him.
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Moments That Matter
May 8, 2026
Each of us can recall significant moments in our lives. These moments might include becoming a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, graduating, getting married, or the birth of a child or grandchild. Memorable moments may also be more traumatic: experiencing a severe illness, the death of a loved one, or a terrible accident.
In their book The Power of Moments, Chip Heath and Dan Heath explain that a defining moment is a short experience that is both meaningful and memorable. They describe the essential elements that make up these life‑defining moments. They include:
Elevation: Defining moments rise above the everyday and transcend the normal course of events; they are extraordinary.
Insight: Defining moments rewire our understanding of the world.
Pride: Defining moments capture us at our best—moments of achievement and moments of courage.
Connection: Defining moments are social. Weddings, graduations, vacations, work triumphs, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, speeches, and sporting events are strengthened because we share them with others.
Being a sports fan often comes with memorable moments. Whether your favorite team wins a championship or experiences a magical moment in the middle of a mundane season, certain occasions stand out. For fans who are unable to be in the ballpark to witness these moments, the way an announcer describes them often becomes part of the memory itself.
Earlier this week, John Sterling, the longtime voice of the New York Yankees, died at the age of 87. He began broadcasting Yankees games on the radio in 1989 and retired in 2024. At one point, he called 5,058 consecutive games, including the postseason. He broadcast eight World Series and described a Yankees championship‑winning out in five of them with his famous call: “Ball game over! World Series over! Yankees win, thuuuuh Yankees win!” (I know it is a bit sacrilegious to write about the Yankees in Ohio, but I am going to do it anyway.) Sterling called two perfect games—“He’s gonna get it…27 up, 27 down, baseball immortality…”—and who can forget his iconic home‑run calls: “It is high! It is far! It is… gone!” followed by a unique phrase for each player. “Bernie goes boom!” “A thrilla from Godzilla!” “Georgie juiced one.” “The Bam‑Tino.” “All rise! Here comes the Judge!”
As sports fans, we ride the waves of our teams, experiencing moments of thrilling excitement alongside moments of deep heartache. Often, it is the broadcaster who shapes the moment and tells the story in a way that deepens its impact. For me, as a longtime Yankees fan who listened to John Sterling’s deep baritone voice day after day, year after year, those memories stand out vividly. What stands out even more, however, are the memories shared by the people who knew him best. Suzyn Waldman, his longtime broadcast partner, shared that he did everything he ever wanted to do in life and that he was the kindest person you could ever meet. That is how one hopes to be remembered.
Sterling was Jewish, though he worked on the High Holy Days and rarely spoke publicly about religion. He was a devoted fan of Broadway and famously sang Fiddler on the Roof. He also played on a softball team called The Four Corners, referencing the tzitzit on the corners of a tallit.
As I read and reminisced this week about Sterling and the way he accompanied defining moments, I began thinking about the blessing of being a rabbi. This coming week marks the completion of my nineteenth year in the rabbinate. I have had the honor of being present for many of the most meaningful moments in people’s lives. I have stood with families as a loved one took their final breath. I have stood beneath the chuppah as couples began their lives together. I have sung siman tov as people took their first steps as Jews after conversion, and I have walked alongside people as they wandered the shadowed path of grief.
Among my favorite rabbinic moments are the personalized messages I share with young people at B’nai Mitzvah services. I do not know whether people remember every sermon or story, or whether our youth remember those messages, but my hope is that they help elevate the moment with insight, pride, and connection. Over the years, you have invited me, Rabbi Martin, Rabbi Huber, and other rabbis into your lives. We thank you for allowing us to walk through these moments with you.
As Chip Heath and Dan Heath remind us, “Moments matter!” Within the collective canvas of the standout moments of our lives, rabbis have opportunities to provide meaning, comfort, and wisdom. May we have the spiritual fortitude, soulful awareness, and profound wisdom to do so well.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Rick Kellner
Torah Trailblazers: Claudia Roden
May 1, 2026
For Claudia Roden, food has always been a form of memory, history, and teachings passed lovingly from one generation to the next. Born in Cairo in 1936 to a Jewish family rooted in Egyptian culture, Roden became one of the most influential voices in documenting Jewish and Middle Eastern cuisine, at a moment when much of that heritage was in danger of disappearing.
After her family was forced to leave Egypt in the 1950s, Roden realized that recipes carried what exile often strips away: stories, customs, culture, and identity. She began recording the foods of her community to safeguard a way of life. As she later reflected, “I wrote because I didn’t want our food to be forgotten,” (Hadassah Magazine).
Roden’s groundbreaking A Book of Middle Eastern Food and later Jewish cookbooks treated recipes with the seriousness of sacred texts. Each dish came with context on who made it, when it was served, and what it meant. Roden recognized that food is a form of cultural transmission, much like Torah itself. “Food is a way of keeping memory alive,” she explained, especially for communities scattered by migration and loss (Tablet).
These themes resonate especially on Shavuot, the festival that celebrates receiving Torah and the responsibility to carry it forward. Just as Torah is studied, interpreted, and handed down, Roden understood Jewish food as something learned and taught through care and repetition. Shavuot’s dairy traditions echo her belief that what we pass on at the dinner table shapes who we become.
“What else do we have to give in life other than good food?” Roden once asked (Jewish News).
On Shavuot, Claudia Roden reminds us that Torah is found in kitchens, recipes, and the act of teaching someone how to cook a dish that carries a story.
Sources
- Jewish Women’s Archive. “Claudia Roden”
- Hadassah Magazine. “Claudia Roden, Culinary Icon”
- Tablet. “Claudia Roden Comes Home”
- Jewish Refugee Blog. “How Claudia Roden Preserved an Egyptian Passover Table”
- Jewish News. “Claudia Roden”
Torah Trailblazers: Remarkable Jewish Women is a monthly feature published in Tikvah Topics. This feature was created in 2024 by Hannah Karr, Congregation Beth Tikvah’s Director of Marketing & Community Engagement as a way to spotlight the significance of historical and modern-day Jewish women.
Farewell from Everett Smith
May 1, 2026
Dear Congregation Beth Tikvah,
As I sit down to write this, I am filled with a mix of gratitude, joy, and a bit of sadness. Saying goodbye is never easy—especially to people who have been such an important part of my life for the past five years.
As I prepare to close this chapter and begin a new journey, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks to each of you—both members and staff. To the members of Beth Tikvah: meeting you, speaking with you, and spending time together has felt like being part of a family. To the staff—Debbie, Hannah, Rhonda, Rabbi Rick, Rabbi Karen, Morissa, and Alisa—working alongside such caring, passionate, talented, supportive, and inspiring colleagues has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I will always cherish the moments we shared.
Although life is taking me in a new direction, please know that distance will never change the bond we share. The Congregation Beth Tikvah family will always be in my heart and in my prayers.
While I am excited about what lies ahead, I will truly miss our daily interactions and the friendships we have built. I leave with nothing but fond memories and deep appreciation.
Wishing you all continued success, happiness, and fulfillment in everything you do.
Warm Regards,
Everett Smith
Honoring the Past, Investing in the Future
May 1, 2026
More than 65 members of Congregation Beth Tikvah’s Legacy Circle gathered on Friday, April 24, for a meaningful evening of Shabbat dinner, prayer, and reflection, celebrating some of the stories and commitments that continue to sustain the congregation across generations.
During the Shabbat service, an address was given by Legacy Circle members Jane Mitchell and Michael Alexander, who shared their personal journey to Beth Tikvah and the story behind the endowment they established to support Jewish education.
“There are a couple of things you need to know about us to understand our journey to Beth Tikvah and the creation of our endowment,” Jane began. One was her path as “a Jew by choice,” and the other was the many years the couple spent moving across the country for education before ultimately settling in Columbus.
When Jane and Michael first arrived in the area, they came to Beth Tikvah seeking a place to name their child. “Almost from the very beginning, we felt at home here,” Jane shared. “Everyone was so welcoming.” That sense of belonging became the foundation for decades of involvement, from teaching Sunday School and creating new programs to raising their children, and now grandchildren, within the Beth Tikvah community.
Reflecting on their decision to establish a legacy gift, Jane explained that when Michael retired, he wanted to do “something meaningful that would create a lasting legacy and support future generations.” For them, Beth Tikvah was the natural choice.
Their endowment focuses on access to Jewish education. “We wanted to ensure that every child could receive a Jewish education,” Jane said, emphasizing that no child should be denied learning opportunities due to financial barriers or special educational needs. Drawing from her 40‑year career as a special education teacher, she spoke passionately about inclusion and equity.
“As someone whose own daughter was nearly denied an education because I was not considered ‘Jewish enough,’” Jane shared, “I felt strongly about ensuring that all children…have access to religious education.”
The Michael Alexander and Jane Mitchell Endowment for the Education of All Jewish Children reflects the spirit of Legacy Circle Shabbat itself: gratitude for what has been received, and a commitment to planting seeds so that Jewish life at Beth Tikvah continues to thrive for generations to come.
Those interested in learning more about making a legacy gift or establishing an endowment are invited to reach out to Legacy Co‑Chairs Carol and Andy, or to Executive Director Debbie Vinocur. They would be glad to continue the conversation and help explore meaningful ways to support Beth Tikvah’s future.
Written by Hannah Karr, Director of Marketing & Community Engagement
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