5101 US-42 • LOUISVILLE, KY 40241 • (502) 423-1818
Matt Schwartz

Matt Schwartz

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Name: Matt Schwartz

Age: 53

How long have you been a member of The Temple? 25 years

Why did you decide to join The Temple? Cindy and I joined shortly after moving to Louisville.  I grew up at Adath Israel downtown so it was easy to come home!  We then proceeded to meet many of our lifelong friends through the Temple preschool and family holiday events.  My parents, Gail and Buddy, were both very involved in Temple life and leadership and our family continued that tradition.

What do you do for a living? Lead a growing insurance brokerage with my brother Scott – personally, I focus on wellness, benefits and related support services.

What is your favorite holiday? Sukkot – we’ve raised a sukkah for 20+ years and it’s fun to bring in new people to enjoy all the photos we’ve gathered – and now post – over the years.

What is your favorite Temple memory? My children’s Bar & Bat Mitzvahs

What is your favorite Jewish food? Strudel – I remember – at age 6-8-10 – covering the entire kitchen table rolling out dough with my mom.

What is the farthest you’ve traveled? Tibet

How do you like to celebrate special occasions? Definitely with family and friends in tow – I love sharing experiences and creating memories.

How did you meet your spouse or partner (if you have one)? She was sitting on the couch, living in my old apartment.  I came by to collect some mail I hadn’t received.  Voila!

What are some of your hobbies and interests? I love live music – listening to it and creating it!  In fact, my band from college still connects after what seems just a few short years to write new music and play … every chance we get.

What is your favorite volunteer activity? I really enjoyed being President of The Temple, helping map a course for future success and sustainability

What was your first car? Do you miss it? 1972 Dodge Dart (it was formerly Alison Roemer’s grandmother’s car)

Do you have a favorite sport and/or sports team? Big college basketball fan

Do you have a hidden talent? musician

Do you have any pets? 3 small, needy, but friendly, dogs – Uno, Lola and Dobby.

Have you lived anywhere besides Louisville? Tampa, Charlotte and DC area

What is your favorite Louisville restaurant? Al Watan

Why did you give through LIFE & LEGACY? If not me, who?  The Temple has been very important to the life of my family.  It seems obvious to me to do what I am able and give back – beyond current giving, it is “easy” to commit to more significant and impactful giving through estate planning.  This is how I pay back my parents and grandparents who did what they were able years ago.  I am now modeling generosity to my kids as well!

Name: Matt Schwartz

Age: 53

How long have you been a member of The Temple? 25 years

Why did you decide to join The Temple? Cindy and I joined shortly after moving to Louisville.  I grew up at Adath Israel downtown so it was easy to come home!  We then proceeded to meet many of our lifelong friends through the Temple preschool and family holiday events.  My parents, Gail and Buddy, were both very involved in Temple life and leadership and our family continued that tradition.

What do you do for a living? Lead a growing insurance brokerage with my brother Scott – personally, I focus on wellness, benefits and related support services.

What is your favorite holiday? Sukkot – we’ve raised a sukkah for 20+ years and it’s fun to bring in new people to enjoy all the photos we’ve gathered – and now post – over the years.

What is your favorite Temple memory? My children’s Bar & Bat Mitzvahs

What is your favorite Jewish food? Strudel – I remember – at age 6-8-10 – covering the entire kitchen table rolling out dough with my mom.

What is the farthest you’ve traveled? Tibet

How do you like to celebrate special occasions? Definitely with family and friends in tow – I love sharing experiences and creating memories.

How did you meet your spouse or partner (if you have one)? She was sitting on the couch, living in my old apartment.  I came by to collect some mail I hadn’t received.  Voila!

What are some of your hobbies and interests? I love live music – listening to it and creating it!  In fact, my band from college still connects after what seems just a few short years to write new music and play … every chance we get.

What is your favorite volunteer activity? I really enjoyed being President of The Temple, helping map a course for future success and sustainability

What was your first car? Do you miss it? 1972 Dodge Dart (it was formerly Alison Roemer’s grandmother’s car)

Do you have a favorite sport and/or sports team? Big college basketball fan

Do you have a hidden talent? musician

Do you have any pets? 3 small, needy, but friendly, dogs – Uno, Lola and Dobby.

Have you lived anywhere besides Louisville? Tampa, Charlotte and DC area

What is your favorite Louisville restaurant? Al Watan

Why did you give through LIFE & LEGACY? If not me, who?  The Temple has been very important to the life of my family.  It seems obvious to me to do what I am able and give back – beyond current giving, it is “easy” to commit to more significant and impactful giving through estate planning.  This is how I pay back my parents and grandparents who did what they were able years ago.  I am now modeling generosity to my kids as well!

Sue Sobel

Sue Sobel

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Names Sue Sobel

Ages 70

How long have you been a member of The Temple? 44 years

Why did you decide to join The Temple? I married Tom and his family had been long-standing members.

What do you do for a living? I am a retired JCPS art teacher and currently doing art therapy with seniors.

What is your favorite Temple memory? Watching our daughter, Lisa, sing with Shir Chadash in concert with Debbie Friedman. Lisa was thrilled to meet Debbie!

Farthest you have traveled: India in 2015 with Lisa and Benji for Lisa’s college roommate’s wedding.

How did I meet my spouse? I met Tom on a blind date. His childhood friend, Martin Kasdan, was dating my roommate. She wanted me to meet Tom, “a very enterprising, young man.”

Interests and hobbies: I am a member of LAFTA (Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists) and enjoy making wearable art. I take advantage of Louisville’s thriving arts scene!

Volunteer activity: Through The Temple’s Caring Committee and JFCS Shabbos Friends, I visit the Jewish seniors at Treyton Oak Towers.

Pets Fannie, our 6th English Springer Spaniel. We love the affable breed and have rescued several through ESRA.

Have I lived anywhere else? I grew up in Princeton, NJ.

Names Sue Sobel

Ages 70

How long have you been a member of The Temple? 44 years

Why did you decide to join The Temple? I married Tom and his family had been long-standing members.

What do you do for a living? I am a retired JCPS art teacher and currently doing art therapy with seniors.

What is your favorite Temple memory? Watching our daughter, Lisa, sing with Shir Chadash in concert with Debbie Friedman. Lisa was thrilled to meet Debbie!

Farthest you have traveled: India in 2015 with Lisa and Benji for Lisa’s college roommate’s wedding.

How did I meet my spouse? I met Tom on a blind date. His childhood friend, Martin Kasdan, was dating my roommate. She wanted me to meet Tom, “a very enterprising, young man.”

Interests and hobbies: I am a member of LAFTA (Louisville Area Fiber and Textile Artists) and enjoy making wearable art. I take advantage of Louisville’s thriving arts scene!

Volunteer activity: Through The Temple’s Caring Committee and JFCS Shabbos Friends, I visit the Jewish seniors at Treyton Oak Towers.

Pets Fannie, our 6th English Springer Spaniel. We love the affable breed and have rescued several through ESRA.

Have I lived anywhere else? I grew up in Princeton, NJ.

Aaron and Chan Kemper Member Spotlight

Aaron and Chan Kemper

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Names Aaron and Chan Kemper

Ages 35, 38

How long have you been a member of The Temple? 5 months

Why did you decide to join The Temple? Aaron attended Temple growing up and would like to provide that same community and fellowship to our children. We also want to increase and encourage diversity and inclusion in the Jewish diaspora so that my children and other children like them can see reflections of themselves in the Jewish community.

What do you do for a living? Aaron is an attorney in private practice in Louisville. Chan is an is a legal analyst with the KY Legislative Research Commission.

What is your favorite Temple memory? Watching our daughters be welcomed into the community by Rabbi David at their baby naming ceremonies.

How did you meet your spouse or partner? We met at the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

What are some of your hobbies and interests? We both enjoy reading and debate (we are attorneys after all).

Seen any good movies lately? Stranger Things Season 3 is great so far!

Do you have a favorite sport and/or sports team? Basketball for both of us.

Do you have a hidden talent? Aaron can juggle.

Do you have any pets? Cosmo & Ella.

Have you lived anywhere besides Louisville? Chan is from the U.S. Virgin Islands and we both lived there after law school and clerked for the Superior Court.

What is your favorite Louisville restaurant? Ramsi’s Café on the World.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Chan’s husband.

Shifrah and Bob Bornstein

Shifrah and Bob Bornstein

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Names Shifrah and Bob Bornstein

Ages 44 and 46

How long have you been a member of The Temple? 1-5 years

Why did you decide to join The Temple? Everyone was so warm and welcoming we knew we had to join!

What do you do for a living? Reading Recovery Teacher at JCPS (Shifrah) and attorney at Bornstein & Bornstein (Bob)

What is your favorite holiday (it doesn’t have to be Jewish)? Thanksgiving

What is your favorite Temple memory? It will be Jonathan’s Bar Mitzvah next year.

What is your favorite Jewish food? Matzah Ball Soup

What is the farthest you’ve traveled? Israel, Russia

How do you like to celebrate special occasions? Cake!

How did you meet your spouse or partner (if you have one)? We met at a Jewish young adult function at the Bristol Bar & Grill.

What are some of your hobbies and interests? dog walking (Shifrah), basketball and racquetball (Bob)

What is your favorite volunteer activity? Temple Board of Trustees

What was your first car? Do you miss it? Ford Fairmont station wagon (sky blue). Nah.

Seen any good movies lately? Bag of Marbles which was part of the Louisville Jewish Film Festival. Terrific French film about two brothers which reminded me of my own boys.

Do you have a favorite sport and/or sports team? Louisville Cardinals

Know any good jokes? Client asks a lawyer how much he charges. Lawyer replies, “Three questions for $500”. Client says, “that’s a bit much, don’t you think?” Lawyer: “No, what’s your third question?

Do you have a hidden talent? If we do, it is hidden from us, also!

Do you have any pets? A turtle named Turtle (not very creative, we know).

Have you lived anywhere besides Louisville? Shifrah is originally from Cincinnati where much of her family still resides.

What’s your favorite bible character and why? Shifrah! One of Moses’ midwives who helped deliver him. Also David and Jonathan, the names of our two boys.

What is your favorite Louisville restaurant? Ruth’s Chris

What do you want to be when you grow up? Professional Dog Walker (Shifrah) NBA star! (Bob)

Who would play the role of YOU in a Hollywood movie? Lauren Graham and George Clooney (they’re available, right?)

Linda K. Bledsoe

Linda K. Bledsoe, Ph.D.

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Name Linda K. Bledsoe
How long have you been a member of The Temple? 20+ years
Why did you decide to join The Temple? Like most people, I see myself as a spiritual person. I felt that I needed to be part of the Temple in order to nurture the spiritual side of myself, but also to be challenged and supported to do mitzvot and to take part in tikkun olam.
What is your favorite holiday (it doesn’t have to be Jewish)? Passover is my favorite holiday. In some ways, Passover seems to address all aspects of Jewish history and life.
What is your favorite Temple memory? Many of my favorite Temple memories happened at the Women’s Shabbaton that Rabbi Gaylia used to offer each summer. It was a wonderful opportunity to learn, but also to deepen friendships and have fun.
What are some of your hobbies and interests? I am a reader. As a social psychologist, I am always reading the current research. Right now, one of the hot topics in research is the microbiome and how it impacts our brains and moods. Fascinating. For fun, I read lots of murder mysteries. I read recently published mysteries and the oldies but goodies. Right now, I am reading Come to Grief by Dick Frances. Also, I play the piano, do yoga, volunteer, and watch movies. I am a big fan of the classic movies from the 1930’s and 40’s.
What is your favorite volunteer activity? I very much enjoy being a part of the Women of Reform Judaism Board. The other women on the Board are very committed to doing good for the Temple, the Jewish community, and the larger community. They are wise and knowledgeable, so I am always learning from them. And, they are fun! Through WRJ, I have opportunities to be a part of a wide variety of volunteer activities – from baking for the onegs to offering arts and crafts activities to children at the Home of the Innocents.
What was your first car? Do you miss it? The first car I ever bought was a used 1972 Toyota Corolla. It was a manual four-speed with a manual choke. Yes, you had to know just how far to adjust the choke based on the weather that day to start the car. No air conditioning. Do I miss it? Not really, I have fond memories of it, but I like air conditioning.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I hope to never completely ‘grow up’, but my goal is to always continue to grow — to learn new things, to meet new people, and to have new experiences. I think the world is a better place when we hold on to a little bit of the child in us and are playful and open.