Women of Valour Series honours Sheila Bacher z’l

Women of Valour Series honours Sheila Bacher z’l

Tevet is the 10th month on the Jewish calendar, counting from Nisan. The number 10 is considered a holy number. The month of Tevet is mentioned in the Book of Esther and was acquired in Babylonia, and it shares a root with the Hebrew word tov, meaning “good”.

The letter of the month is Ayin (ע), which means “Eye” or “to See” someone who is wise to see that G/d in everything and everywhere.

This is the month of “Good”. This brings us to the significant meaning of “The body delivers pleasure from the body”.  Because we are encouraged to perform acts of kindness, goodness/mitzvoth during this month, as the simple act of giving and receiving is gratifying to both the receiver and the donor.  Please consider donating to a charity of your choice to make this world a better world.

Tevet starts on December 21st, also on the 7th day of Chanukah, which means the lighting of the menorah with all the light and cheer that it brings, along with celebrations with friends and family gatherings. We celebrate the start of a new month, Rosh Chodesh and also Chanukah, which gives us more reasons to fill this month with light, laughter, peace, hope, generosity, and freedom.

Learn more & join us here

We are recognizing a Woman of Valour coincidentally during this month of Tevet Sheila Bacher z’l’, a woman who paved the way to many other volunteers that followed her footsteps on the “Out of the Cold” Program a true trailblazer, a woman of gave more to the many clients that have passed by the Temple on a Wednesday night because they needed a warm place and a hot soup. Sheila was indeed a “Good” Woman and she is being celebrated by her friend Diana Goodman.

Woman of Valour for the month of Tevet, Sheila Bacher z’l

written by Diana Goodman

Sheila Bacher z’l’ was born into a family with strong Hoy Blossom connections. There are windows dedicated to both her parents in the Sanctuary and our Holy Blossom Temple foyer.

At the age of nine, the family moved to a house just a few doors away from Temple, so the connection was physical as well as spiritual.

Sheila grew up at Temple, teaching in the Religious School first as a student, then after graduating from Teachers’ College, as a professional teacher.

Sheila married young at 21 and had 3 children–Jodi, Paul and Andrea.

She became active in Sisterhood now (Women of Holy Blossom), working on a variety of committees before serving as President from 1989-1991. She continued teaching for several years, but when she retired, again became involved in Temple life–working on Mondays at The Temple for seniors and then on the “Out of the Cold” Program.

To those who didn’t know her well, she could be gruff and short-tempered, but those who knew her well knew she had a heart of gold and was a real “softie.”

Sheila passed away in 2017, but her contributions to Temple will live on for many years.

Her daughter, Andrea Katz, currently serves on the Temple Board of Trustees, carrying on the family tradition.