Sarah Wanger grew up at TBA. She is exuberant, joyful, and absolutely loves our TBA community. She earned a BA in Theatre and English from Muhlenberg College and a BS in Registered Nursing from the MGH Institute of Health Professions. In this podcast episode Sarah reminisces about her early beginnings in theatre at TBA and her excitement of being cast as Dorothy Gale in this year’s production of The Wizard of Oz. She also talks at length with Rabbi about her adoption story, how it has shaped her life, her love for her parents Wendy and Barry, and eventually meeting her birth family. You will be moved by her story!

TBA's Cantorial Soloist Susan Glickman has been an inspiration on the TBA bimah for almost 20 years. She has elevated our music scene and worked tirelessly on services both joyful and sorrowful. Through her leadership, hundreds of Temple members have sung together for High Holy Days, special Shabbat Services and Purim Spiels to name a few. Susan’s love of TBA, Jewish music, and caring for those in need are demonstrated daily when she sings with preschool children, plans an upcoming concert, or makes a pastoral visit. Her warmth and spirituality shine through in all aspects of Temple life. Listen to TBA Now! to learn more about Susan's early beginnings at Beth Avodah and what adventures she has planned following her Summer 2023 retirement.

Amy Cohen, TBA congregant and past president, has been guiding birth parents and placing babies with loving families for over 35 years. She is the Executive Director of Adoptions With Love, Inc., a small, non-profit, full-service, domestic adoption agency in Newton, MA. She has tenderly assisted expectant mothers as they work through intelligent and fully informed decisions regarding themselves, their bodies, and their child. Amy discusses all the options available to expectant parents that allow them to make choices that are right for them. Listen in to hear about the range of emotions felt by all parties and the long-term relationships that Amy enjoys with her clients.

Susan is an experienced Health Coach, volunteer and mom. As a Health Coach her goals include getting people to trust themselves around food by eating intuitively and be aware of the dangers of the diet industry. Susan has also been recognized by many for her volunteer contributions to various organizations in Massachusetts. Listen as she and Rabbi Stern discuss her many passions that when combined weave the quilt of her life.

In 1979, 4-year-old Ilona and her parents came to the US from the former Soviet Union. In this episode of TBA Now! Ilona discusses the difficulties and successes that she and her family encountered as Jewish refugees. Hear the hilarious and poignant story of their first Passover Seder in their new home country and how Ilona has found a deep and meaningful connection as a Reform Jew. Wanting to be a doctor for as long as she recalls, Ilona explains how she found her passion in the field of high-risk obstetrics. Listen to find out more about this gutte neshuma (good soul).

Ilona Goldfarb is an Assistant Professor in Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology at Harvard Medical School and a Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist at Mass General Hospital with a focus on patient and provider attitudes around vaccination during pregnancy.

Many of you know the name of fellow TBA congregant Linda Matchan from her work as a feature writer at the Boston Globe. In addition to her thoughtful writing for the Globe, and now associate editor at the Jewish Journal, there is so much more to her story. Hear about her role in researching the Catholic church abuse scandal and working with the screenwriters of the film Spotlight. Learn about her newfound passion of making documentary films and how the devastating diagnosis of her husband’s ALS illness inspired her to write about a plethora of topics such as the unsung role of caregivers, the support of community, and how she was uplifted by her new companion (her dog Coco). There is so much more to come, listen in to find out what Linda is working on next.