The Schara Tzedeck has been my synagogue since I was a child as my parents, Gerry and Clara Lancaster, were members.

During the high holidays, our seats were in the first row of the balcony. When I was 21 years old, my Buba, sitting next to me said, “are all those men looking at me?”  I glanced down to the front row in the men’s section and saw my future husband Charles z”l, his father and brother, 2 uncles and 4 cousins looking up at me. Fast forward to the following June, we were married at the synagogue by Rabbi Goldenberg.

Our children also grew up in the synagogue- my son Craig was Bar Mitzvah’d here (my son Alan had his in Israel) and my daughter was married by Rabbi Feuerstein. Now my granddaughter, her husband and great-grandchildren are members.

Over the years, I have sat on many committees, including the board and chaired the decorating committee.

Charles z”l served as president for 5 years and served and chaired the cemetery board for over 30 years.

My grandparents and great-grandparents came from London, England, Australia and Russia and 4 of them are buried in the Schara Tzedeck cemetery.

I have wonderful memories of times past in the synagogue and feel that under the present leadership of Rabbi Rosenblatt, Dr.Jonathon Leipsic and many others, our synagogue will flourish for many years to come.