Assembly Resolution No. 956
BY: M. of A. Woerner
HONORING Rabbi Linda Motzkin and Rabbi Jonathan
Rubenstein upon the occasion of their retirement
from Temple Sinai after 36 years of joint leadership
WHEREAS, The character and richness of religious and community life
in this noble Empire State is nourished and fulfilled through the
faithful concern and selfless devotion of those who would commit their
energies and purpose to the ministry of others; and
WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to acknowledge
outstanding individuals whose professional lives, personal endeavors,
and community service are an example and inspiration to their
colleagues, friends, family, and community; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to honor
Rabbi Linda Motzkin and Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein upon the occasion of
their retirement from Temple Sinai, following 36 years of joint
leadership; and
WHEREAS, Since 1986, Linda Motzkin and Jonathan Rubenstein have
served as co-Rabbis at Temple Sinai in Saratoga Springs, New York, where
they moved shortly after they were ordained and where they raised their
three children, Ruhi Sophia, Ari Shalom and Shira Bracha; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Linda Motzkin and Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein were the
first rabbinic couple to share the sole rabbinic position in a
synagogue; and
WHEREAS, Temple Sinai, Saratoga's first Reform synagogue established
in the early 1960s as a study group composed of 12 families, has grown
under the leadership of Rabbi Linda Motzkin and Rabbi Jonathan
Rubenstein to include 175 families and individual members representing a
diversity of lifestyles, professions and religious observances; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Linda Motzkin and Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein have,
through their dedication and creativity, expanded Temple Sinai's
programs and activities, including religious education, youth programs,
Hebrew language instruction, and many other committees and clubs which
offer an array of opportunities for the community; and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Linda Motzkin and Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein have
encouraged the religious education of hundreds of children and young
adults, fostering lifelong learning of the Torah and Hebrew traditions,
as well as inspiring Temple Sinai's young members to donate their time
and energies to such charities as Shelters of Saratoga, the Franklin
Community Center, and local hospices; and
WHEREAS, Committed to helping those in need, Rabbi Jonathan
Rubenstein leads Temple Sinai's Bread and Torah project, a non-profit
bakery operated from the synagogue's kitchen which helps those less
fortunate, provides training and employment to individuals with
disabilities and distributes challah weekly to nursing home residents;
and
WHEREAS, Rabbi Linda Motzkin is among a handful of female scribes
around the world and has initiated a Community Torah Project, a
long-term undertaking designed to involve a wide range of participants
in various steps in the hands-on process of making a Torah scroll, from
the processing of deerskins into parchment panels to the proofreading of
the completed text; and
WHEREAS, In addition to their duties at Temple Sinai, Rabbi Linda
Motzkin has served as the High Holy Day Chaplain at Skidmore College,
and Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein has served as Pastoral Care Director at
Four Winds-Saratoga, a private psychiatric hospital; and
WHEREAS, It has always been the objective of this Legislative Body
to honor and support those individuals who have displayed their
commitment to the betterment of their communities, and it is the intent
of this Legislative Body to inscribe upon its records, this tribute to
Rabbi Linda Motzkin and Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein, that future
generations may know and appreciate their admirable characters, their
many benevolent deeds, and the respect and esteem in which they are
held; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor Rabbi Linda Motzkin and Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein upon the
occasion of their retirement from Temple Sinai after 36 years of joint
leadership; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Rabbi Linda Motzkin and Rabbi Jonathan Rubenstein.
