Barbara Zinn Moore’s Yom Kippur Speech 5784/2023

HELLO!

Hello is a word so simple, yet so profoundly powerful. It is a word that can serve

as a catalyst for transformative change. It is a word that reshaped my life.

trajectory. And it is a word I will be returning to as I share my thoughts today.

I am Barbara Zinn Moore, and I am honored to serve as the new President of

Sutton Place Synagogue. Standing on this Bima, on this sacred day of Yom

Kippur, I am filled with humility, and hope. It is a monumental privilege and

responsibility, one that I approach with gratitude and excitement.

I especially want to thank Jeff Jacob, my immediate predecessor, who led

Sutton Place Synagogue so well during 3 of the most difficult years a synagogue

President could face. I want to thank him for his guidance, and partnership and

for all he has taught me and continues to teach me.

We have an energetic, engaged Executive Committee and Board of Trustees

from all backgrounds and generations and I am very much looking forward to

collaborating with them this year. And finally, I want to thank my Executive VP,

Josh Liederman who is an incredible partner to me, our Board and to SPS.

As this is the first time, I am speaking to you as President, I want to tell you a

little bit about myself and how I came to be here today. I am an only child, born

and raised in Jersey City, to a mom from Brooklyn and a dad from Jersey City. I

remember when I was young, going to the Orthodox shul, watching down from

the balcony on the men in prayer and feeling the disconnect, as I sat with the

women who were whispering about Mah Jong and recipes.

My father was part of a small group of families whose goal was to start a new

conservative synagogue in Jersey City, but unfortunately, he became seriously ill

and could not continue. However, that synagogue was founded as Congregation

B’Nai Jacob, and I became a Bat Mitzvah there several years later. Small Jewish

world – two years ago, I discovered that Cantor Marshall Wise, our congregant,

was the Hazzan there for 13 years.

Professionally, the bustling world of retail beckoned, leading me from Abraham

& Straus to Bergdorf Goodman, Bamberger’s, Macys, Filene’s, and Lord &

Taylor. And no, I had nothing to do with most of these chains going out of

business!

Never could I have imagined, when I was a Senior VP of Cosmetics at both

Macy’s and Lord & Taylor, that I would gain the skills to be a synagogue

President. I truly developed an understanding of leadership, and many of the

relevant skills needed for this new role including:

• Store planning and design, where I learned to read blueprints, understand the

role of architect and contractor, and gained the knowledge of the complexity of

running and renovating this building

• Marketing and advertising where branding, logos, layouts, digital marketing,

media mix and public relations were all a critical part of the role

• Team Building

• Negotiating With everyone!

And finally, there was never a meeting, internally and externally, where we did

not ask for money! There is no doubt that’s part of the President’s role as well!

Now, returning to the transformative power of "HELLO" – this simple greeting

holds deep, biblical resonance. Moses, when called by God from the burning

bush, responded with "Hineni," which translates to "Here I am." Such a

response is more than mere acknowledgment; it is a proclamation of presence,

of purpose and connection.

How did I come to Sutton Place Synagogue? My journey began with profound

personal loss, followed in time, by immense joy. It was where I found a

community when I did not know I needed one, and when one single "Hello"

changed my life and led me to this Bima today.

As a neighbor on the East Side, I had gone to Sutton Place for the High Holidays

for many years, but I was not an active member or frequent attendee. But in

2013 that all changed within one week when I lost both my dog and my

husband of 18 years. That week I decided to attend Saturday Morning services,

by myself, to say Kaddish.

I sat down in the center of the sanctuary and the man in front of my seat turned

and said Hello. A week later, I returned and sat in the same seat, and that same

man turned and said “Hello, so glad to see you again.” That hello, from Jeff

Uffner not only welcomed me but supplied a point of connection that made me

feel deeply welcome, during a time of personal pain and uncertainty.

I continued to come more Saturday mornings and met many people at Kiddish

including Roger Cohen, Rick Kaminer, Charlie Rose, and an incredibly special

redhead named Harriet who was more than welcoming and made me feel even

more a part of a special community.

I regularly attended services, joined the Women’s League and then, months

later, that same redhead, Harriet Janover, told me she wanted me to meet

someone. For a reason I have never been sure of, I attended the Annual

Meeting on June 24, 2014, and again, 1 Hello changed my life. I was lucky

enough to have already been married to the love of my life but somehow,

incredibly, was fortunate enough to meet my second love that evening. When

Evan Spelfogel said hello to me that night, it changed the direction of the next 9

years and hopefully many, many more to come.

I realized, then, that it was my time to give back to a community that gave me

so much when I needed it.

I quickly became more involved in Women’s League and ultimately became

President. I joined the synagogue’s Board of Trustees, co-chaired the Strategic

Plan 2.0 with Josh Liederman, co-chaired 2 Gala’s, and in 2022 became Executive

Vice President, again under Jeff Jacob’s great direction and teaching.

Sutton Place Synagogue also became my Jewish Home, where I had my first

Aliyah, read from the Torah for the first time, and had my second B’Nai Mitzvah,

as women were not allowed to read from torah when I had my first.

One of the most special parts of SPS for me is our Morning Minyan. This group

of people of all ages and stages, some in person, some zooming in from near

and far, is a wonderful way to start the day. Saying hello as each comes into SPS

or as they come on zoom, makes waking up early worth it!

As I leave morning Minyan when in person, I also love to greet the parents and

children. The children always have a backpack bigger than they are and cannot

wait to show it off.

Getting to know the B’Nai Mitzvah students as well as their parents is always

special and rewarding. Greeting our incredible maintenance and security teams

helps me to learn what is working and what is not and what they need. And

getting to know the Young Professionals as well as the Seniors and everyone in

between has enabled me to start to really learn about what each of our affinity

groups are looking for from SPS. Beyond just a greeting, "Hello" is an invitation,

a bridge to the innate human desire for connection.

Having shared my personal story, I want to turn to the broader journey of the

Synagogue and some of the many milestones we have achieved together.

 Our Synagogue continues to grow! Our growth from a covid low of 375

family units to 450 family units in 2 years is a testament to the incredible

efforts of our professional team and clergy.

 We launched our new SPS logo on an electronic billboard in Times Square

and launched our family of affiliate logos in the past few weeks for KNS, JRS,

Sutton Family Center and Sutton Camp. Thanks to Judy Agata for these

affiliate logos and for the Program Guide, at your seats.

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 We are gaining a position on the national stage, through Rabbi Ain’s regular

and inspiring television appearances both on GMA and the Today Show, and

most recently last Friday on GMA3.

 We successfully launched our leadership training for new board members led

by Shari Pochapin and Laura Roth

 We are gathered in our beautiful, renovated sanctuary thanks to the efforts

and generosity of many who sit with us in this room today. I would be remiss

if I did not share an update for the next phase of the Synagogue renovation.

As our synagogue continues to grow, we want our building to grow with it.

Many of you have come to the focus groups and seen our vision for Phase 2

of the renovation and for that we thank you. At your seats, is a flyer to show

each of you what our vision is. We are working tirelessly to decide if this

construction will be in 2024 or 2025 but what I want to ensure you is that it

Will happen. If you would like to take part in this critical vision for our future

by seeing our plans, learning more, or taking a leadership role, please speak

to Abby next week. 

 Our schools continue to grow as well. Kaplan Nursery School, led by our

incredible Director, Lindsay Bennett, and Sydnie Henkin, the Assistant

Director of KNS and Camp Director has grown from a low of 27 students

during covid to 53 students in Bridge and Nursery School combined.

 We welcomed our new JRS Director, Seth Golob, whose creative spirit and

technical expertise has already had a tremendous impact on the school.

 Our new Director of Operations and Finance, Michael Zanca who works

behind the scenes on our facilities and finances, joined the professional team

in July. Special thanks to him and to Abby Johnson-Guez, Rozsa Gomory, and

Harriet Janover for all they do to make SPS the special place it is.

 We have welcomed Rabbi Dave Levy to the clergy team as the head of the

Block Center and taken the Block Center at SPS to the streets with a terrific

Block Party, introducing ourselves to our neighbors and members.

 We welcomed our new hazzan, Cantor Luis Cattan, and he has already

brought us beautiful music, both familiar and new. Mazel tov to him as he

celebrates his 35 th High Holiday services.

 And as I speak about the future I must mention - what I consider to be our

most significant and important accomplishment for the future of Sutton

Place Synagogue – Rabbi Ain has accepted and signed a new contract and will

be with us to at least 2030 (and hopefully beyond!). Her leadership and

passion and love for this community is truly incredible. Her vision for what

SPS can and will become is unwavering. We would not be who we are

without her!

And now, I make an appeal to all of you and ask for your help and support

today.

Sutton Place Synagogue is a strong and vibrant synagogue. We know that there

are many places that ask you to give, but this synagogue, which has helped us in

times of extraordinary joy and in the most difficult of times, needs you. Only

with your support can we ensure a Jewish present and inspire a Jewish future.

The reality is that Membership Dues and High Holiday seats do not provide

enough revenue to operate a dynamic and forward-looking synagogue in New

York City. Today’s Yom Kippur appeal is vitally important to keep SPS vibrant,

relevant and a major force in the city. Your gift will help with the annual

operations of the synagogue and allow us to continue and to grow.

Drawing inspiration from our rich history and the footsteps of our past

presidents, Jack Sheingold, Mark Wiener, and Bob Berend, all of blessed

memory, Phil Sassower, Roger Cohen, Rick Kaminer, Shari Pochapin and Jeff

Jacob, we are poised on the brink of a new chapter, one filled with promise and

potential. Their impact reminds us of Proverbs, "A good man leaves an

inheritance to his children's children."

We have cards at your seats for your pledges that will be collected shortly.

Follow the example of the Patrons of our synagogue and make a meaningful gift

that comes from your heart and that can sustain us now and for the future. If

you have never given, let this be your first gift. If you have given in the past, we

ask you to dig a little deeper and move to the next level.

Every donation supports us and will have influence so that we can continue to

pray together, learn together, socialize together, and give together.

Let each of us try to ensure our synagogue remains a haven where every "Hello"

heralds hope, where every interaction weaves the fabric of community even

tighter. I ask you to consider the profound impact of your support. Let each

donation be your “hello” to our shared future, your “hineni” to our collective

journey.

In the spirit of Yom Kippur, as we stand at the confluence of reflection and

aspiration, I urge each of you to make a meaningful contribution to Sutton Place

Synagogue, ensuring our community does not just grow, but thrives.

Please look at the card at your seat and help us continue the growth of SPS. The

ushers will be collecting the cards, and I thank you in advance for your

generosity.

When you leave the synagogue later today, or when you come back for Neilah,

say Hello to someone new. Introduce yourself – you never ever know when that

hello can change the trajectory of your life. May you each be inscribed and

sealed in the Book of Life for a year of blessing, peace, and prosperity. G’Mar

Chatimah Tovah.