DECADE 10, Part I
1996 - 2001

Congregation Presidents serving between 1996 and 2001 included Dr. Fred Tobis, Craig Sternberg and Richard Du Bey. During those years we had over 830 families in our congregation. The Weinstein Family Foundation sponsored many free concerts, highlighting the talents of Hazzan Alberto Mizrachi, Cantor Roslyn Barak, Cantor Kenneth Koransky, Cantor Jacob Ben-Zion Mendelson, Cantor David Frenkel and Cantor Nathan Lam. In 1996, Dorothy Wittenberg received the Sarah Kaplan Community Service Award for her volunteerism at HNT and in our Jewish community. USY observed a Day of Mitzvot and member Mikaela Rabinowitz went to Israel as part of the Chalutzim Seminar. Reporting in HaKol, she said, " As we stood there (in Rabin Square), with our arms around each other, singing and crying for our lost leader, I felt a sense of infinite sadness...How could one Jew have killed another?"

In April of 1996, we celebrated Joanne Glosser's ten years of service as HNT's Director of Education and in November we celebrated the twenty years served by Sallie Lawrence, HNT Bookkeeper. As a caring community, we remembered member Ellen Yusim, who died in 1995 at the age of 16 from a rare leukemia, by holding our first Ellen Yusim memorial blood drive. And we remembered member Marsha Rivkin with the second Swedish SummerRun, raising money for ovarian cancer research.

In 1997, USY introduced the Superbowl Bagel Box as a fundraiser. Judy Heber reported the Long Range Planning Committee findings: satisfaction with HNT - 81%; HNT should not consider moving - 90%; HNT should consider adding a satellite location - 50%. The Maccabi Games in Seattle attracted 700 teens and the first Executive Director of Camp Solomon Schechter was hired. Our shul had a new voice mail system and tributes were raised to a minimum of $10. Meanwhile our HNT School was raising money with bingo / Pasta Bar / silent auction, and a play group for 2-3 year olds was formed.

In 1998, fourteen HNT members including event chairmen David and Julie Ellenhorn, volunteered for the Israel at 50 Celebration at the Seattle Center on May 3. HNT members Janet Gray, Debbie Gourley and Laurie Powazek chaired the 9th annual Seattle Jewish Coalition for the Homeless Toy & Book Drive. Among the speakers that year were Rabbi Ed Feinstein, Rabbi Elliot Dorff and Israeli Peace Activist Daphne Golan. HNT began email news events service and we had 13 Havurot. The Mishpocha Minyan was led by Ann Gaponoff and Michelle Younker, and Ruz Gulko led the Junior Congregation. Council House celebrated its 26th anniversary with an Open House. On December 13, 1998, HNT honored Cantor Emeritus Joseph and Ruth Frankel for more than five decades of leadership, teaching and service. A CD, "Golden Treasure," was created preserving his voice. The CD is still available.

Among the USY events for this time period were Kinnus at Camp Solomon Schechter, Mariners’ Game night and Movie night, and volunteering at the Chicken Soup Brigade. USJ activities included a Kadima Shabbaton at HNT, Hanukah and ice skating parties, and making sack lunches for the homeless. Women's League activities included a cooking series, book groups, Mah Jong, a domestic violence program and donation of $1,260 to Jewish Family Service, a Hanukah party including arts and crafts held jointly with Men's Club with over 200 attending, and the collection of school supplies, personal needs items and baby needs items for the Eastside Domestic Violence Program and where ever else needed.

Men's Club activities included High Holiday ushering, building the Succah, moving the bima and setting up chairs, funding Camp scholarships, sending out Yom Ha'Shoah candles, baseball games, co-sponsoring religious school end-of-year parties, and co-sponsoring Kosher wine tasting with member David Eisenberg. Among the HNT programs for this time period were Doug Cotler, Debbie Friedman, Rabbi Eliezer Diamond, Rabbi Yosef Leibowitz, Rabbi David Golinkin, and Tying it All Together-Create your Own Tallit.

In 1999, Women's League hosted the Pacific Northwest Branch Conference in Bellevue. Between 1995 to 2000, Women's League donated $60,000 to HNT. Among the outstanding Women's League volunteers were HNT members Rahla Turck, Sylvia Saperstein, Fran Schill and Debbie Schatzman. HNT's 2nd Grade class collected 130 bottles of oil for the Jewish Family Service Food Bank, services of healing and hope were held, and text-based study in Eco-Judaism were taught. Danny's Den of Jewish Discovery was dedicated August 7, 1999 by Jan and Steve Lewis in memory of their son Danny.

Also in 1999, five HNT teachers went to Jerusalem on a two week mission. HNT helped the Saqipi family resettle from Yugoslavia and project chairman Debbi Gourley said, "Their 23-hour run through the forests of Serbia to freedom is part of the past." Men's Club and Women's League sponsored the 3rd annual Hanukah party pasta night.

In 2000, HNT had 900 member families, Rabbi Lisa Gelber led a trip to Israel and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Shirley and Jacob Fuchsberg Center, a Conservative Jewish Campus in the heart of Jerusalem, was dedicated. See Israel@uscj.org. HNT loaned a Torah to the Klameth Area shul in Oregon. A senior singles activity havurah held many programs including seeing films and live theater. Sallie Lawrence retired in May after 25 years of dedicated service. HNT celebrated Pizza in the Hut during Succot 2000 and Women's League sponsored a Candidates’ Forum open to the entire community. Rabbi Gelber ran a marathon raising $16,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of America. Meanwhile, Women's League programs included “Eating for Energy” with member and Bastyr graduate Julie Negrin, cooking kreplach with member Robin Rogel Goldstein and chocolate decadent rugelach with member Eileen Mintz and book discussion of My Three Lives with member and author Gizel Berman.

By November 2000, automatic doors were available at the lower foyer to increase synagogue accessibility and the upper foyer sliding glass door closest to the front entrance was retro-fitted with a ramp. Assistive listening devices were available during HNT functions via door greeters and in 2001, the Chumash Etz Hayim replaced the Hertz Chumash for Torah and Haftorah readings. By the end of 2000, Program Director Barbara Lahav retired after ten years of inspired, dedicated service.

In 2001, the Men's Club sponsored a square dancing night, the school held a Mexican Fiesta/ bingo/ raffle event, and USY celebrated 50 years of existence. Among the 2400 Swedish SummeRun participants were more than 60 HNT members, walking, running or volunteering to support the Research Center for Ovarian Cancer named for member Marsha Rivkin z”l, over $230,000 was raised. Hadassah's Training Wheels/Al Galgalim began meeting at HNT to educate our youngest children. After the resignation of Rabbi H. David Rose and Rabbi Lisa Gelber in May 2001, a Rabbi Search Committee was established. Rabbi Gelber stayed on during the search. Rabbi Rose had served us wisely and well for 13 years, strengthening our educational programming and teaching us to "do Jewish." He led this congregation into the age of egalitarianism and inspired inclusiveness. His compassion, leadership and teachings left an impressive legacy. Rabbi Jay Rosenbaum was approved by the HNT Rabbi Search Committee on September 12, 2001. HNT youth were participating in the Alexander Muss High School program in Israel, USY sponsored an information day and the 34th World Zionist Congress met. By December of 2001, HNT security was an issue to be resolved. The Shalom Ensemble entertained us December 16 at a Hanukah dessert.

HNT was now 95 years old--and still going strong!