Dear CRC Friends,
It is with bittersweet feelings that we announce that Morah Maxine Weil, our Director of Congregational Learning, plans to retire in May, at the end of this academic year.
Maxine joined us in 2016 and has ever since played a key role in shaping our CRC community. Across the board – with students, parents, teachers, adult learners, Rabbis, and staff – she has created deep and meaningful relationships. Maxine is that rare person and professional who is able to combine her ability to make emotional connections with her talent for details, logistics and curriculum.
In the 40-plus years that Maxine has been a Jewish professional in St. Louis, she has changed our community’s future for the better – transforming Jewish education at several St. Louis institutions, and nurturing thousands of Jewish lives in the process.
“Maxine is a superstar who truly ‘fills’ the CRC education office because she knows everybody and everything that has to do with CRC lifelong learning,” Rabbi Randy Fleisher commented. “Just hearing the name ‘Morah Maxine’ brings a huge smile to the young people who grew up at CRC because of their fondness for their religious school experiences and the incredible mentorship role that Maxine provided for them. We had more teenagers engage in volunteering as madrichim (teachers assistants) with Religous School than ever before in response to Maxine’s leadership. Nothing and nobody falls through the cracks with Maxine at the helm.”
Maxine’s plans for retirement start with sleeping until 8:30 a.m. every day (and sometimes 9), playing more Mah Jongg, reading more and spending time doing glass work. She and Roark, her husband of more than 40 years, plan to travel more and to be able to spend more time with their son, Joe, and daughter, Samantha, both of whom live in Los Angeles.
As she wraps up her 40-plus year career in Jewish education, please join us in thanking Morah Maxine. We are truly better for having learned, worked, worshiped and laughed with her. A midrash on the Torah story of Jacob leaving his home created a Jewish tradition that before we anticipate a beloved person’s next chapter, we should honor everything they have meant to us to this point. We certainly plan to celebrate Morah Maxine as a community. Details will be forthcoming.
Sincerely,
Your Rabbis, Executive Director and Board Leadership