Posted on March 8, 2018
A long-time member and trustee of Temple Beth-El, Leigh has been involved in a variety of temple projects and causes. She is best known for her ongoing work as a volunteer for the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) of Somerset County. Since1996, when she first began serving as an evening shift volunteer, to her current volunteer position as the IHN/TBE coor-dinator, Leigh has been an integral part of making this program work. As coordinator, Leigh oversees all the IHN activities that take place at Temple Beth-El. She is also responsible for ensuring that there are sufficient volunteers for each shift and that all volunteers are properly trained.
But Leigh doesn’t stop there. Since 2000, Leigh has been a member of the adult choir at Temple Beth-El. She helps to uplift the congregation’s worship, singing at services, regional concerns and cantorial concerts held at the temple.
Leigh also participates in volunteer activities in the greater community. She has served as a board member of Literacy Volunteers of America (LVA) and has helped immigrants develop English language skills. In 2008, Leigh was honored as a Somerset Star for her outstanding contributions made in the community as a volunteer by the Somerset County United Way.
Leigh’s working career has taken her from being a professional dancer (she worked with Tommy Tune), to book editor, then 10 years as project manager of workforce development at New Jersey Public Television, and now to her current job as constituent and legislative aide to Senator Linda Greenstein of the New Jersey 14th legislative district.
Most of all, Leigh really loves and enjoys her family: her daughter, Jess, who shares her passion for dancing, her supportive and wonderful husband, Richard, and of course her pug dog, Reeses.
We invite our entire temple community to come out on May 6 to honor Leigh and to thank her for her service, both to Temple Beth-El and the local community.
In the upcoming months, please keep an eye out for information on how to register for this event.
The Person of Honor Breakfast supports the Brotherhood Youth Scholarship Fund, which helps temple youth attend Jewish programs throughout the year.
Originally published in the March-April 2018 issue of the Shofar. For more issues of the Shofar, visit the Shofar archives.
