“I guess life goes by quickly when you love what you do!”
So said Rabbi Ronald Shapiro, who “can’t believe” he’s celebrating his 25th anniversary with Congregation Shalom. “How can this be happening so fast?” he wondered.
Ordained in 1974 at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Shapiro joined the Shalom family in 1978 with his wife, Judy.
In a recent interview in his office, Shapiro detailed his path to Milwaukee. “Judy and I are both from Minnesota and were eager to settle in the Midwest. Also, we had spent a summer here as part of the Urban Internship Program sponsored by the Milwaukee Jewish Council [for Community Relations], so we were familiar with the city. And I knew I would gain a lot of mentoring from Rabbi [Harry] Pastor, who was contemplating his retirement. It seemed like a good fit,” he said. “Obviously, it was!”
Sylvan Leabman, president of the congregation, agreed. “Ron is an incredible person with universal appeal to children and adults of all ages. And it is a rare quality that when someone talks to him, they always know he is acutely interested in what they’re saying and that he cares. We are very blessed to have him as our rabbi.”
“I learned from Rabbi Pastor, whom I would call an ‘attentive’ rabbi, the importance of pastoral work,” explained Shapiro. “He believed in the dignity of humanity and that there is enough honor to be shared.
“I saw how important it is to be a pastoral rabbi and took my cue from him. Social action is very important, too, but for me, teaching Judaism is the most important service a rabbi can render.”
Shapiro finds special strength in the intimacy of sharing life cycle events with his congregants — in good times and in bad. “These private moments reflect the essence of life and death. People are all the same, despite the amount of money they have or the clothes they wear. We all come from and return to the same source.”
Known as a “people person,” Shapiro said he loves to talk and to kibbitz. “I think one of my strengths is that I try to find the best in all people, which is at the core of Judaism. We’re taught to look at the positive and that most people are inherently good. So, for me, the rabbinate has been a wonderful place to engage people.”
Another favorite area is his work with children. “I feel I serve as a catalyst to bring out their spirituality,’ he explained. “In addition to our religious and Hebrew schools, I think that our havurot system and Shabbaton program of family retreats has fostered a sense of connectedness. These experiences help the kids and their families interact with their Judaism in informal settings. And that has helped our congregation grow.
“I love working with the children for their bar and bat mitzvahs and with the confirmation class. And now I’m marrying and officiating at baby namings for those who have gone through these life cycle events with me. I can’t explain how thrilling it is to go full circle with these families. Over the years, Judy and I haven’t had many free weekends, but I love it.”
“We at Shalom are so lucky because our rabbi knows several generations of congregants,” said Nancy Barnett, president-elect. “He is genuinely kind and has a good Jewish soul. Also, I value his work within the general community, such as the Interfaith Conference [of Greater Milwaukee]. He’s not singularly driven.”
Responsive congregants
During Shapiro’s tenure, the congregation has grown from 550 families to nearly 1,200; undergone a major expansion; and cemented its commitment to social action through its sponsorship of Mitzvah Day, which attracts more than 1,500 volunteers, some of whom aren’t Shalom members.
“We’re taught that we have a stake in the greater community in which we live,” Shapiro said, “and that we should be involved in society at large. The Talmud tells of our responsibility to other peoples, races and religions.”
With that in mind, Shapiro described his most pivotal moment as a rabbi. “One would think it would have happened here, but honestly, it was in 1983 when I met with refusniks in the former Soviet Union. To see Jews living under such oppression was overwhelming. A businessman from Chicago and I traveled together for two weeks, bearing Jewish books and other Judaica to encourage our brethren to be Jewish. We also brought medications and clothing and I took a bunch of kosher salamis.”
They met with 30 families, put up mezzuzahs, sang Jewish songs and pledged to maintain contact and to help them leave the country. “It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life — to see these Jews trying to be Jewish without any organized community and strong opposition from their government,” Shapiro said.
He added that when Jews from the FSU were allowed to leave, many congregants “adopted” families that settled in Milwaukee. And that, he said, is typical of how his congregants respond to social needs.
“I feel that over my 25 years, Shalom congregants have always responded to the prevailing trends of the day. I think that’s because [they recognize] the precariousness of life,” he said.
But Shapiro has noticed changes in the Jewish community. “I think the needs of the community are different. As I look out from the bimah, I see a growing number of non-Jews in our midst who should be welcomed into the community. And changes in family structure have impacted our community.”
For that reason, Shapiro said he is more committed than ever to encouraging people to come to the synagogue simply to pray. “People should come to temple to be moved by God’s presence amid other Jews. I wish more people would come to services just to worship — not just for life cycle events or for yahrzeit.”
Because of that commitment, Shapiro initiated the congregation’s daily minyan services five years ago. “I’m glad the program has succeeded,” he said. “We average 15-20 people every night. One regular confessed that the service allows her to relax and reflect — if just for 15 minutes — after a day at her high-powered job.”
Shapiro and his wife will be honored at a tribute evening on Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Pfister Hotel. Cost is $125 per person. Event chairs are Janet Howenstine and Laurie Pasch.
Other activities during what will be a weekend of celebration include a concert by Jon Simon, a contemporary jazz stylist, at Shabbat services on Friday, Aug. 8, 8:15 p.m. following Kabbalat Shabbat at 7 p.m. Also, at 10 a.m. services Aug. 9, Rabbi Lawrence Kushner of San Francisco will speak on “At the Crossroads of Spirituality.” Known as one of the most creative religious writers in the country, he has helped shape both personal and institutional spiritual renewal. A kiddush lunch will follow at 12:30 p.m.
For more information, call the synagogue office, 414-352-9288.
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