Life Cycle Events

Now early into its second half century, Temple Micah is mature enough to have multiple-generation families among the membership. As the Granof family observed life cycle milestones Micah was there to help celebrate or mourn.

As a young married couple, Helene and Gene Granof joined the temple in 1967. (Helene had grown up at Temple Sinai in Northwest Washington. Its rabbi then, Eugene Lipman, married them in 1966 and, upon learning they were living in Southwest, suggested they look into joining a new Reform congregation that had recently formed there. They did and they’re still very active members.)

Over the next six years, the Granofs had three children, Gail, Daniel and Julie, all of whom were named at Temple Micah. Gail was called to the Torah for her bat mitzvah in 1982 and Julie in 1986. Daniel’s bar mitzvah in 1983 was the first one Rabbi Daniel G. Zemel officiated over at Temple Micah.

The kids grew up. Gail married Seth Warner on May 16, 1999. Their oldest child, Jana Warner celebrated her bat mitzvah at Micah in 2014 followed by son Drew in 2016. They have one more to go, their younger daughter, Mara.

Meanwhile, Gene’s parents, David H. and Diana Granof, are buried in Temple Micah’s cemetery.

The Cycle Begins – Birth

In 1966, three years after the congregation was formed, the temple’s first baby was born–Mila Roschwalb, the daughter of Susan and Jerry Roschwalb. She was the only baby born that year, followed by another single birth, of Jeremiah Cohen, in 1967. During the 1970s and early 1980s, the temple’s population began to take off and so did the births, often reaching eight to ten new baby Micah-ites a year. Membership sagged in the late-1980s and 1990s and so did the number of births, dropping to six or seven a year. With the new millennium, membership soared, but interestingly births continued to decline (probably related to economics and demographics). For example, only four Micah babies entered the world in 2016.

Here are the names of the Micah babies and their parents that we know about. (Please tell us about others that we’ve missed.)

Births, 1966-1981 (scrolls vertically)

Births, 1982 – 1993

Births, 1994 – 2016

Ritually Coming of Age — B’nai Mitzvah

Over the congregation’s first two decades, only a handful of kids celebrated bar or bat mitzvah each year, about two per year from 1965-74 and four per year from 1975-79. From 1980-84, despite the sag in overall membership, the number of b’nai mitzvah per year nearly doubled to seven.

In those days, each bar or bat mitzvah turned into a whole community celebration.  Most of the membership would turn out for the service and join in the festivities afterward. Because the adults knew each child, the youngster received individually chosen presents. The adults were nearly as proud of the bar or bat mitzvah as the child’s own parents. Fast forward to the 2000s and coincident with the temple’s rapid growth, the numbers of b’nai mitzvah skyrocketed to an annual average of 17 from 2000-2004, 20 from 2005-2009, 24 from 2010-2014 and 26 per year in the 2015-2016 biennium. Still a joyful event accompanied by the choir, a flute soloist and other musical instruments.

Youth B’nai Mitzvah (scroll through the list)

Adult B’nai Mitzvah

Completing the Cycle

Temple Micah was created mostly by young families and singles. So for years, there was little focus on death. A few members passed away in the early years. In 1970, for example, Ernest Green died of a heart attack as he left the temple after Friday evening services and Ivan Meitus was killed in a plane crash. As it celebrated births and other happy life cycle events, the entire community mourned its losses, (which were thankfully few), and continues to remember them all on their yahrzeits and at the memorial service on Yom Kippur. But in keeping with its overall policy of not naming individuals on plaques, Micah published no permanent record of members who had died. The Task Force on Member Recognition, which recommended the establishment of this Living History initiative, also proposed the creation of a memorial wall listing the names of all deceased members. Implementation of the wall is underway.

In 1979, the temple purchased a cemetery within George Washington/Mount Lebanon Cemetery in Adelphi, MD for members and their immediate families. Currently, the five trustees are: Shelley Grossman, chair; Gene Granof, treasurer; Mel Goldberg, recorder; Miriam Grogan and Jessica Silver.

Shelley Grossman talks about the Cemetery Committee

People should go and see it – it’s lovely and peaceful…It makes me feel good to be able to help people at this time of stress.

Temple Micah Cemetery Internments