President’s Message

Although the coming of a new year, whether it’s Rosh Hashanah or January 1st, is meant to focus our thoughts on the future and all of the things that we might do better in going forward, these occasions also lead us to think about the past, and what we’ve accomplished (or not!) over the past year. As 2025 begins, I want to do the latter and think about what happened in 2004 that has had a profound effect on our congregation.

The reason I picked 2004 is because that is the year that Richard and Evelyn Mason and Donald Goddard joined our Rodef Sholom family. As I remember it (and forgive me if I’ve got some of the details wrong), we were faced with two challenges, both of them serious.

The first challenge was finding a reliable custodian: someone who would take care of our building in a consistent and responsible way, doing the regular work of cleaning, maintenance, and general upkeep of our large facility as well as its landscape. That individual also had to be someone whom we could rely upon to show up on time, do what needed to be done, and be trusted to carry out the position’s responsibilities in a dependable manner. After our longtime custodian, Joseph Robinson, retired, we’d had a series of people who, for one reason or another, did not meet the requirements of the job. It was not a good situation.

And then we hired Donald Goddard. Over the past 20 years Donald has taken care of us, both in our previous building in Hampton and now in our new building. In Hampton, Donald had to contend with a building that was already almost 50 years old when he joined us, with an aging physical plant, cranky mechanical equipment, and the reality that there was scarcely a week that went by without something going wrong. But he persevered and did the best he could, even though he was working part-time. In our new building, he does much the same work as he did in Hampton, but in a new building that is easier to clean, with up-to-date mechanical systems and equipment. He makes sure everything is ready for services or congregational dinners or religious school classes. He is at the door to let us in for morning minyan and Friday evenings; he works with our Newport News police officers to ensure we are safe. Thank you, Donald, for your dedication and care: The entire Rodef Sholom Temple family is so grateful to you!

The second challenge was finding a caterer or chef to prepare our minyan breakfasts, Oneg Shabbat treats, Shabbat lunches, congregational dinners, and anything else that the congregation might need in the way of food. We’d had a series of people in that role, but for various reasons they were unable to stay in the position for any length of time. Yes, congregants were able to fill in but doing that over an extended period became difficult.

In response to a “Help Wanted” advertisement in the Newport News paper, Richard Mason applied for the position. He was then a sous chef at a Peninsula continuing care community but wanted a part-time gig. Twenty years later, what began as a part-time, solo, job is still part-time, but is now filled by Richard and his wife, Evelyn, a pastry chef. In Hampton, they had to contend with two kitchens—dairy and meat—with separate food preparation equipment, serving equipment, dishes, cutlery, and an aging physical plant that was difficult to keep clean and orderly. In our new building, they have only one kitchen to worry about and make sure that everything is done in keeping with food service regulations. As in Hampton, they provide us with delicious soups, yummy lasagnas and quiches, tasty salmon, and amazing desserts for our Shabbat lunches and congregational dinners, as well as breakfasts after morning minyan twice a week. Not only do they prepare our meals, but they also shop for ingredients and supplies in a cost-conscious manner and make sure that food waste is kept to a minimum. They also are private caterers and have worked with many of our families to provide beautifully prepared and served meals to groups both large and small.

It is not every congregation that is so fortunate. The late Steve Portnoy, who was then Rodef Sholom’s 1st vice president, often said that the best decision he ever made was to hire Richard Mason, and then Evelyn. Thank you, Richard and Evelyn, for the time and care you take to make such delicious meals for us. We are so grateful to you both!

A lot has happened over the past 20 years in the life of Rodef Sholom Temple, but, through those ups and downs, and a move to an entirely new building and new location, Richard and Evelyn Mason, and Donald Goddard, have been with us. Our Rodef Sholom family is indebted to them for their caring and their kindness. Todah Rabah—Many Thanks!

-Martha B. Katz-Hyman, Rodef Sholom Temple President