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Welcome from the President

Elizabeth Schrimpf

It is my tremendous pleasure to serve as Congregation Shaarei Shamayim's president. We are a vibrant and continually growing community, and my hope is to serve in a way that allows our amazing story to continue.

Photo of Elizabeth Schrimpf CSS PresidentWhen my husband and I joined CSS, leadership was the farthest thing from my mind. I was not raised in a Jewish home and never thought of myself as a “volunteer in your religious community” type of person. I did, however, like the idea of learning to lead services - which is what led Rabbi Laurie to invite me to join the Ritual Committee. That initial spark led to me getting involved in other parts of the Shaarei Shamayim community and over time, I found that the work I was doing at CSS was becoming more and more meaningful to me. When we began shelter in place in March of 2020, CSS became even more important as I turned to my faith and our community for social, emotional and spiritual support. CSS is not a building you’ll find on a map but a community of people who’ve come together to celebrate, to mourn, to argue and to study. My hope is that by serving as president I can ensure this community can continue to be the home for others that it has been for me. 

Our Reconstructionist and Renewal congregation welcomes people of all ages, abilities, sexual orientations, and styles of worship, as well as interfaith couples, Jews by choice, Jews of color, and those seeking a Judaism that meets them where they are. We are not just a place for everyone--it's precisely our diversity that gives us such a unique approach to our ancient traditions.

I welcome you to attend any of our activities including services, Torah study, Gesher, adult education, and havurot. Feel free to reach out if you want to hear more, have any questions, or wish to voice concerns. I am here to listen and learn. And I'm here to help make sure that CSS's legacy, now over 30 years strong, is here for another 30 and more.

Contact Elizabeth Schrimpf

Mon, March 18 2024 8 Adar II 5784