Debra Israel

Debra Israel is a member of the United Hebrew Congregation Terre Haute board.

Gather family memories while you can; take solace in silence; support ‘Covered with Love’

By Debra Israel
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Recently, I’ve been thinking about memory and memories.

This past February marked 20 years since my father’s older sister, my Aunt Julie, passed away.

My father had died in 1990, and their younger sister, my Aunt Rebecca, is now the last surviving sibling.

I have my own wonderful memories of many special times with my aunts and my father, but I regret now that I didn’t ask them more questions about their lives growing up in New York City, about their experiences as children of immigrants, where their parents spoke a different language (Ladino) at home.

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Board, volunteers produce Temple improvements in time for holidays

By Debra Israel and Terry Fear
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United Hebrew Congregation board members and volunteers approached the High Holidays with busy preparation.

We’re deeply involved in restoration, maintenance and security projects, the gratifying result of both monetary contributions and volunteer efforts of many individuals.

Next time you visit the synagogue, look around and view the improvements you have helped achieve!

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Bialys could be coming to an oneg near you

By Debra Israel
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Bagels are everywhere in the U.S. now, but finding a bialy is still a challenge in many places — including Terre Haute.

Some of you may be asking, what is a bialy? It turns out bialys did in fact get their name from the Polish city of Bialystock, where they originated.

Bialys are sometimes described as a combination between a bagel and an English muffin. They notably feature a partial hole (often filled with onions) rather than a hole that goes all the way through like a bagel.

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When it comes to achievements, UHC proves that small is beautiful

By Debra Israel
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The past month of April, and now the month of May, present a microcosm of our congregation’s character.

In fact, instead of lamenting the small size of our congregation, after seeing all that we accomplish, we might instead start proclaiming that small is indeed beautiful.

From my professional view as an economist, we talk about the concept of “free-riding”, when people do not contribute their share of the work even while enjoying the community’s benefits because they know that someone else will chip in (particularly with volunteer time or monetary contributions).

This is easier to do in a large organization, because your individual participation may or may not seem to matter.

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