Orthodox congregation to commission Torah scroll in Wohlgelernters’ honor
LA JOLLA, California — Congregation Adat Yeshurun of La Jolla is embarking on a campaign to write a Torah scroll which will be gifted to Rabbi Jeff Wohlgelernter and his wife Shoshie Wohlgelernter in honor of their 33 years of service.
Rabbi Wohlgelernter, the synagogue’s founder, becomes its rabbi emeritus on July 1. Rabbi Daniel Reich, Adat Yeshurun’s current assistant rabbi, will become the rabbi of the congregation. On Monday, July 6 at 7:30 p.m., the synagogue is hosting a virtual gala as a special tribute for the Wohlgelernters, who are making Aliyah to continue their mission of teaching Torah in Modi’in, Israel.
“It is a symbol of 33 years of what went on here in La Jolla and what will continue to go on. Torah is at the center of life in this community. It represents what the shul really is,” Rabbi Wohlgelernter said regarding the Torah scroll. He added that learning of the congregation’s plan to commission the scroll in his family’s honor was “one of those blow-away life moments.”
Rabbi Wohlgelernter is from New York and Shoshie is from Vermont. They met and married in Israel and worked as Jewish educators in Australia before coming to La Jolla. In January 1987, they founded Adat Yeshurun. Over the course of 33 years, they have become known for their passion for learning, hospitality, creativity, and love for their diverse community of inspired and growing Jews. Rabbi Wohlgelernter has regularly taught more than 30 Torah classes per week. Shoshie taught for many years at Soille Hebrew Day School and Torah High School.
“How can we adequately give thanks to the Wohlgelernters? How can we possibly say, ‘thank you’ for all the love and all the devotion and all the support?” asked Rabbi Reich. His answer: by “giving them what they gave us, Torah.”
“If we had to sum up in one word everything that Rabbi Wohlgelernter and Shoshie have done for us here in La Jolla, it’s Torah. Torah is what the Wohlgelernters live and breathe. Torah is the Wohlgelernters’ life. Torah is what the Wohlgelernters gave to us, and so now is our turn. We want to give them back Torah,” said Rabbi Reich, adding, “Our goal is also to gift them the legacy that the Torah that they gave us here in La Jolla is here to stay.”
Born and raised in Central New Jersey, Rabbi Reich received his B.A. in history from Yeshiva University (YU) in New York City, after spending two years at Yeshivat Reishit Yerushalayim in Israel. He received his rabbinic ordination from YU’s Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary, as a member of its gifts Program. Rabbi Reich has also completed a certificate program in pastoral mental health counseling.
“The shul is in good hands,” Rabbi Wohlgelernter said. “The community needs to appreciate the fact that they’re in good hands and to get the most out of it.”
Describing his forthcoming role as rabbi emeritus, Rabbi Wohlgelernter said he will have “the knowledge of the community and a strong connection to the community, but no hands-on involvement in the day-to-day operations of the shul. My heart is still connected to the shul and the shul is still connected to me.”
The virtual gala is “a reflection of our lives, a testimony to the fact that we have very quickly adapted to the new reality” of the pandemic era, said Rabbi Wohlgelernter.
“There’s no remorse or sense of feeling cheated. This is the way it is. Now, let’s make this work,” he said. “We have to thank G-d that we have Zoom. Could you imagine if we were in this situation 10 years ago? We’re blessed.” (Indeed, Zoom was founded nine years ago.)
Full information on Congregation Adat Yeshurun’s July 6 virtual gala is available via this website.
Sponsorship opportunities for the gala, as well as opportunities to dedicate sections of the Torah in honor of the Wohlgelernters, are available via this website, or by contacting Annette Olson or Catharine Simolari at 858-535-1196.
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La Jolla, California, based public relations executive Jacob Kamaras is a former editor-in-chief of the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS). He is an active member at Adat Yeshurun Synagogue.