Honors
And the Honors Go To…
At Simhat Torah each year we give out a couple of very special honors to a few very special people in the community. For the final aliyah of the Torah cycle (Hatan/Kallat/Aliyah Torah), and then the first of the new year (Hatan/Kallat/Aliyat Bereishit), we give extra blessings to those who have demonstrated open-heartedness and generosity of spirit, whose leadership and love have fueled IKAR. Stick around ’til the end of the night and help honor the incredible Sooz Chenetz, Matan Koch, and Leah & Randy Matsui!
Sooz Chenetz joined IKAR in 2022 and hit the ground running. She is one of our most active and reliable volunteers, a core member of our Hevra Kadisha, and a Shabbat morning regular. Any time we are in a bind, we know we can call Sooz, and she will show up, despite having to trek in from the West Valley. And leading up to the High Holidays this year she was in our office almost every day and served as a Rosh for the holidays as well. Sooz helps with planning and hosting events for the IKAR Valley Circle and the Boomers Group. She is such a treasured member of our community, and we can't wait to honor her!
Matan Koch has been a beloved teacher, activist, and IKARite for many years. Whether he’s opening up his home for house parties and community events or teaching Torah through adult learning series and Shavuot programming, Matan brings an abundance of wisdom, thoughtfulness, and humor to every encounter. He has been a cherished contributor on our membership committee, and he’s currently serving on our newly formed disability/inclusion taskforce. Matan continues to help our community be a welcoming space for all. We’re blessed to honor Matan this year on his favorite holiday, Simhat Torah!
Anyone who has attended morning minyan has met our furthest-flung Afar honorees, Leah and Randy Matsui, who join us from Japan at midnight their time every day without fail. They enrich every room they enter; their dedication and devotion to IKAR radiate across the miles from their Zoom windows, and we have come to know them deeply through Leah's heartfelt welcomes in the chat line. And when they are able to be in the room with us physically, as happened earlier this year, a palpable wave of enduring joy envelops them and everyone else there. We love them and are so grateful that they are willing to accept this honor.