October Family of the Month: Roz Arbel

Roz lives with her husband and their kitties Ori and Meshi. A native San Franciscan, she is a big Safe Streets and Urban Canopy advocate who loves being in nature with her corvid friends.

Roz has been connected to Beth Sholom since ~ 1996. She first became involved because she was really missing shacharit services after working at Camp Arazim, the "official camp” of the conservative movement back then, and the only kosher, shomer shabbat live-away camp in Northern California.

So, while working at the Judaica store Mazel Tov (on Geary) and looking through The Resource Guide, Roz noticed that Beth Sholom had the only daily egalitarian shacharit minyan in the Richmond, a mere 8 blocks from home!

At the time, Roz seemed to be the only regular female minyan member, but the men really treated her with a lot of respect and she very soon felt loved and protected.

That led to regularly attending Shabbat & holidays. It was through the morning minyan she met Rabbi Lew z"L, who became a big influence, and forever made a mark on her heart. When Roz met her future husband in the late 1990s, it became harder to attend minyan. When they left town for the peninsula, it became impossible. Despite moving back to SF in the early 2000s and regularly attending Holy Holiday services, she did not become fully involved in Beth Sholom again until 2019.

“What do you love most about Beth Sholom?” Minyan and the feeling of community: “The minyan has been there for me during some really rough times. I’m very grateful for the love and support I’ve received from the minyan community. They have supported, encouraged, and believed in me, both with leyning and leading. I'm now doing things I could only dream about 30 years ago”.

Roz’s favorite Jewish holiday, food or family tradition: Sukkot; “I love the liturgy, ritual and traditions, and especially the melodies we sing. Simchat Torah is a close second. As for food, I'm a big fan of shabbat kiddush, especially challah with tuna salad, egg salad, and eggplant in mayonnaise”.