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Dear TBD Family,

In place of our usual Shabbat-to-Shabbat column, we have collected loving reflections about Rabbi Micah Ellenson and his time at Temple Beth David.  We hope they bring you comfort and inspiration. May his memory be for a blessing.

Rabbi Micah was one of a kind - he was a caring and insightful Rabbi and an amazing friend. He taught me to be a more open-minded, accepting, and introspective person. In one-on-one conversations, he challenged my ways of thinking and prodded me out of my comfort zone. We had many deep and meaningful conversations that truly changed my life.

He felt comfortable talking about having a relationship with a higher power and how valuable it is - his example helped me become more comfortable with expressing my own faith in God and talking about it with my kids.

No conversation with Micah was ever boring! He enriched my life and the lives of my family immensely. I especially appreciated how much he genuinely cared about my kids and made them feel at home and valued. I will miss him tremendously.

Allison Barasz

I have fond memories of Rabbi Micah. In particular, I remember taking part in a committee with him to help TBD further its aim to be completely welcoming to people of all genders and sexuality. Thanks to Micah, the committee was joyful and productive, with a camaraderie that brought me closer to the Temple than I had been for a long time. My heart goes out to Sara, Lily, and Rosie.

Alice Bauer

I wanted to share the below photos of Micah naming my two daughters, Abigail (2017) and Sydney (2020).  We moved to Cheshire around the same time he and his family did and have fond memories of our girls and his girls playing together during Tot Shabbat. I really appreciated all the virtual events he hosted during Covid to keep us all connected. We are all very sad to hear of his passing.

Rachel Bader & David Gottfried

I first met Rabbi Micah as part of the search committee that hired him.  During an interview committee dinner at my home, when I briefly mentioned something difficult that happened in my family recently, Rabbi Micah immediately asked me if I needed to talk about it.  He was so caring and concerned that he was willing to step away from this important interview process to make sure that I was OK.

Each member of our family developed a unique relationship with Rabbi Micah as he worked to find common conversation topics that were interesting to each of us (from chemistry to sports to superheroes).  He officiated the Bar Mitzvahs of both of our sons and really helped them learn and grow through the process.  We also built meaningful connections with Sara, Lily, and Rose and have stayed in touch with them since they moved from Cheshire.  We will miss Rabbi Micah’s kindness and enthusiasm, and we send our love to Sara, Lily, and Rose.

Sue and Joel Chasen

My heart breaks at the loss of Rabbi Micah.

Please include my family’s heartfelt condolences to Sara and the girls.

Michele and Bill Fredericks, Stephen and Micah Carlan

Just wanted to share these sweet pics of Rabbi Micah and me from TBD high holidays 2021. I loved leading with him! He was so good-humored and kind, and had such a twinkle of joy in his eye with everything he did. It was an honor — albeit a bit stressful! — to lead high holidays through the Covid Zoom madness, but he was so committed to providing the congregation with as “normal” an experience as possible. I will never forget it. Wishing Sara and Lily & Rose and his family, and our TBD family comfort in the coming hours and days. May Rabbi Micah’s memory be a blessing to all — it certainly is to me.

Amy Maude Helfer, Cantorial soloist

On Rabbi Micah's first Simchat Torah with us, I vividly remember the energy he brought into the room once the Torah was fully unrolled. He practically skipped from one corner of the room to another to point out important visual details within the scroll. I was so impressed, both with his intimate knowledge of the Torah, but also with the confidence he projected in a room full of congregants. Micah's enthusiasm and love for learning is a memory I will always carry with me.

Elyse Krantz

Rabbi Micah performed our 60th Anniversary vow renewal. 

Arlene and Ray Mittenthal

What we recall and value most about Rabbi Micah is his enthusiasm and desire to teach.  When he first arrived, Micah came to our house in West Hartford to get to know us.  We shared the story of how we met: at a TBD Shabbaton with Rabbi Arthur Green, during which he taught from his book Speaking Torah.  We also talked a great deal about our shared interest in Jewish spirituality.  This led Micah to offer a class about Kabbalah to the congregation, which we were excited to attend.

Elaine Shapiro & Larry Levine

I will miss your smile, your “Hello, dear,” your silly anecdotes about your childhood and your sweet family… I will strive to remember your admonition not to worry so much about my own children, to let them find their way. I will share your stories about things you experienced in Israel: the time someone told you that Israelis occasionally wish each other “Bon Appétit!” at meals, the day when a bombing in the morning did not keep Israelis from going about their business in the afternoon… I will miss the stacks of books you placed in front of me whenever I asked a complex question, your sermons on the importance of rachamim, your frequent reminders that we all need to be a little gentler with ourselves… I will cherish the memory of your exaggerated lounging, Manischewitz in hand, as you explained the meaning of various Pesach traditions at our second night seder. When I drink a cup of black coffee or crack open a pistachio, I will think of you. When I research what’s bothering Rashi, I will think of you. When the silliness starts at Purim, I will think of you. Your memory will always be for a blessing.

Rebecca Abbate

A man, with a heart so big that he loved Judaism, his family and his friends. We will miss him. 

Richard and Jane Kessler

Wishing you all peace this Shabbat,

Your TBD Family