Rabbi Melanie Aron

ALPENA — Temple Beth-El is honored to welcome back Rabbi Melanie Aron, who visited in July 2022 after a 44-year absence.

During the summer of 1978, a young student Rabbi led Shabbat services at TBE, and on Saturday, May 17, that former student, Rabbi Aron, will once again lead the Shabbat service. In addition to leading a beautiful service, she will present an interesting sermon about Some Jewish Ideas of Government from Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers, Torah’s views on ethics and interpersonal relationships).

Rabbi Aron, who was ordained at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1981, is the Rabbi emerita of Congregation Shir Hadash in Los Gatos, California, where she spent 30 years. Currently in Washington, DC, she is involved in environmental advocacy through the Jewish Earth Alliance and in interreligious dialogue and action through JAMAAT, Jews and Muslims and Allies acting together. She has also been involved in PACT, People Acting in Community Together, chair of the Los Gatos Clergy group, as well in interfaith dialogues with the Muslim and Christian communities.

Temple Beth-El hopes you will join Rabbi Aron and her husband, a retired professor of physics at UCSC, at the Shabbat service on Saturday, May 17. Seating is limited, so please call 989-595-3544 for reservations and important information. Temple Beth-El’s Guest Rabbi program is sponsored in part by the generosity of the Ravitz Foundation Initiative for Michigan Small Jewish Communities as well as donations by Temple Beth-El members and friends.