Stephen Wise Temple member Rabin Pournazarian delivered his Wise Story on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, Erev Yom Kippur 5784, during our Kol Nidrei services in the Westwood Sanctuary.
Good Evening,
My name is Rabin Pournazarian. It’s incredible to look at our congregation and recognize so many faces that have been part of my family’s journey since we became members in 2008.
As we gather on this Yom Kippur, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to share reflections of being a part of the fabric of our vibrant community.
I was born in Iran and moved to Encino when I was 8 years old. I became a Bar Mitzvah at Maariv Temple and attended Hebrew High School. I attended USC where I was Hillel President and Pepperdine Law School, where I was president of the Jewish Law Students Association. I spent a year abroad in Jerusalem, during the Gulf War and even spent a few nights in various bomb shelters.
Israel and Judaism remain focal points of my life. It is a value I learned from my parents and share with my wife Lora, and our three children, Rachel, Eli and Jonah.
Lora and I became members, because we loved the strong sense of community and Zionism that this synagogue believed in. Stephen Wise has been the cornerstone of many of my families’ important milestones.
Of course, all three of our kids attended the day school, and became B’nai Mitzvah here in this Sanctuary. But more importantly, they also celebrated their Bar/Bat Mitzvahs in Jerusalem, at the Kotel, with Wise clergy. It was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life.
Stephen Wise Temple has also played an important and unique role in my son Jonah’s life. When Jonah was diagnosed with glycogen storage disease, a rare metabolic condition that effects one in a million children, Lora and I made it our life’s goal to help fund better treatments and ultimately find a cure. When Jonah’s close friend, Dylan Siegel, wrote an amazing book called Chocolate Bar, Stephen Wise stepped up to help. We raised our first $6,000 here at the temple on Mitzvah Day. We raised the last $10,000 of Dylan’s remarkable goal of $1,000,000 here at Stephen Wise Temple as well. Rabbi Yoshi and the rest of our outstanding clergy stepped up and helped us reach our goal.
We will forever be grateful for the opportunities that this synagogue has given to our family.
Raising our children within the embrace of this temple has been a privilege. It has provided my children with a community where they can learn, grow, and connect with their faith and heritage. It’s become a home where we have forged bonds that will last a lifetime, while supporting each other in times of joy and sorrow.
My role as a member of the Board of Directors of our Temple has been both an honor and a privilege. Together, we have done our best to ensure Stephen Wise Temple remains a welcoming haven for all who seek a spiritual home. The collective efforts and determination of the Board has strengthened our community, allowing us to weather storms and celebrate successes as one.
In closing, I want to wish everyone a year filled with HEALTH, Peace of mind, happiness and as Rabbi Woznica taught me, Goodness. Let us continue to raise our children in the embrace of Judaism, feeding their souls with the wisdom of our faith.
G’mar Chatimah Tovah, May we all be sealed for a good year.
