By Bob Horwitz

As Rabbi Freeman’s retirement approaches and we plan the weekend celebration, the eternal optimist in me says, “The whole congregation will be there along with dignitaries, guests, and his family.” And…the sign-ups have shown that many of you will be celebrating with the Freeman family during the weekend of June 16 and 17. However, we know that busy lives that include work, friends, and family, often conflict with what we want to do. So, while some of us will be on vacation, at a son or daughter’s graduation, or at some other event, there are different ways we can each say goodbye.

Attend Friday night services and/or the dinner, come to the Shabbat morning service and stay for the Kiddush lunch, party at the Saturday night event, or better still attend all of the events. Place a personal greeting in the commemorative booklet, choose to sponsor, or share a thought or picture in the scrapbook. I encourage you to find a way to honor Rabbi Freeman and share your good wishes, memories, or thoughts.

When I was asked to write an article for the Hadashot about the Rabbi’s life and his contributions to our Shul and community, I thought: “Isn’t this exactly what our rabbi has written in a series of articles over the last several months in the Hadashot?” So I called my longtime friend for his wisdom, and “Bingo”, he comes up with a wonderful idea. He said: “Why not ask a few members of the Congregation what they would like to say about my being here?” Rabbi Gordon M. Freeman has had an impact on all of our lives in some way, great or small. Congregants just like you had so much to say – some things unique to their relationship, some things universal. Most spoke of Rabbi Freeman’s warmth and values. All spoke of a personal connection. All will remember always his contributions to the shul, community and our Jewish lives.

Eliyahu Krigel, CBS Education Director for 2 years, writes: “Rabbi Freeman has nurtured our community into an open congregation full of life-long Jewish learners who take the education process seriously. He has inspired and taught me how to be a more efficient educator while staying true to inner values and the morality of the Torah. He leads by example and is a Mensch to work with because he lifts up those around him in a selfless way. The fields of Jewish political thought, the Conservative movement, and our own CBS community have all greatly benefited from his efforts.”

Riva Gambert, CBS member and Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay Director of Community Programming writes: “During Rabbi Freeman’s tenure at CBS, the Jewish Community Federation of the Greater East Bay has looked to him as the consummate community-builder. In planning community-wide events, he has always stood for inclusiveness, welcoming partnerships between other Jewish synagogues and organizations. He has been a real supporter of Israel and has emphasized the importance of kehilla and Am Yisrael. His efforts will have a positive effect well beyond his years here.”

Myrna Kimmelman, CBS Board member, sent the following: “We came here from the East Coast from a warm and Hamish synagogue. We wanted to find something similar here. We made an appointment with Rabbi Freeman, and he made us feel so welcome that we joined. He helped our daughter with her Bat Mitzvah, made numerous calls when I had surgery, and was most helpful when Rich’s mother passed away. In all ways he has made us feel that B‘nai Shalom is our Jewish home.”

Lisa Rood, one of CBS’s Gabbaim, contributes: “I immediately felt the warmth and welcoming nature of Rabbi Freeman at the first service I attended, some 16 years ago. His way of sharing comments about his family as examples of points he wishes to make have been very uplifting for me. I will always hold a place of gratitude and affection for our Rabbi.”

Channah Katz, past CBS Sisterhood President says: “Our rabbi has always shown himself to be very human and we relate to him as a family man and a father. His comfort wearing a silly costume on Purim or sitting down on the floor to play in our pre K class has made him a favorite with our youngest of congregants. I will always personally be grateful to him for being encouraging and empowering. He instituted the Darshan program so that congregants could come in direct contact with the Torah and contemplate its deeper meanings. He emphasized the Jewish tradition of not having just one right answer and encouraged us to express our thoughts and interpretations of passages.”

Hazzan Marc Dinkin: “Thank you Rabbi for being such a wonderful pulpit partner. Your flexibility and welcoming to the sanctuary community has been an inspiration to me.”

Victoria Blint, daughter of CBS member Dorothy Blint, had this to say: “I was always impressed by your commitment to social equality and justice for all peoples while maintaining a commitment to Jewish values and traditions.”

Nancy Waldman, CBS member, adds: “Rabbi Freeman is engaging, trying to converse with everyone at a Kiddush luncheon, and with his smile, makes each person feel that his or her point is valid. He is always very welcoming.”

Debbie Deitch, CBS Board member, recalls: “Rabbi Freeman would sit on the steps of the Bima and invite all the children to come up and sit near him at Family Friday night services. He would tell a story on his topic for the evening, asking the children to contribute. It was particularly special to see the children so entrenched in the story and so comfortable in Shul. Our youngest child was several years younger than her brother and sister, so started coming to services at a very early age. She would usually be the first one up to the Bima when storytelling time came, and managed to work her way onto the Rabbi’s lap. On Shabbat morning, there was Jaci again at Kiddush time, helping him say the blessing. His love of the children will always be my fondest memory.”

Bobbi Garrop, CBS member, had this to say: “Rabbi Freeman has been my only rabbi. My parents never went to synagogue. I was Bat Mitzvahed as an adult under his guidance. He helped us through family tragedies, such as the loss of my husband, Norm. I remember him rushing around, searching for clues during the congregation treasure hunt we organized. His sense of humor, warmth, intelligence, and people skills has always been terrific.”
Marty Fohrman, CBS member, recalls: “Whenever special funds needed to be raised for a congregation project I was involved with, Rabbi Freeman, with his usual smile, would softly volunteer to get the funding, and he did, every time. When he first came to Walnut Creek, Shabbat morning services needed to be held in a home within walking distance for him to attend. A couple of families (one being my brother) volunteered their homes, having the services in an outdoor patio. This peaceful and beautiful setting was very special for all the families who attended.”

Elaine & Leon Starkman, CBS members, wrote: “The rabbi was always up front, telling things as they were, and with his unique sense of humor, was very modest about himself.”

Artie Goodman, CBS member, contributes the following words to define for him what the rabbi meant to him: “Longevity, Community (such as the Library Bond Measure), Connection (specifically with our family and each family), and Comfort (he was a real source of comfort when life cycle events involved the death of our parents.).”

For me, he has simply been a lifelong friend. He called frequently when tragedy struck to see how I was doing, has given me sagely advice whenever I asked for it, and has been a Mensch to my family and me. I still remember his sitting next to me at my Bar Mitzvah, singing with me in the congregation choir for the High Holidays, and being in my wedding. His retirement will have no affect on our friendship and my warm wishes for his continued happiness.

June 2006