Susie B. has worked at the Springhill Avenue Temple for six years. Although her official title is “Temple Secretary,” she fulfills many different tasks throughout the course of a week.

She prepares Chai Notes every Thursday. The weekly email of current events at the Temple helps members stay informed about activities and stay connected with other members. The information for the chi notes comes from committee members, congregation members, and the rabbi. She especially likes working at the Temple due to the diversity of the work. Her days at the Temple are anything but monotonous.

She had a birthday recently.

Susie is like the nerve center of the Temple--outside calls and internal matters in the office all pass through her and she is responsible for coordinating everything and ensuring that the Temple business functions properly.

Here is her best friend.

The Temple is the first non-profit organization where Susie has worked. Before coming to the Temple, she worked for doctors, lawyers and bankers. Also before working at the Temple, she knew nothing about Judaism, but she has learned so much over the past six years.

Susie has lived in Mobile for her entire life. Susie has twin sons: one lives in Mobile and the other lives in Denver, Colorado. Susie says she eventually would like to move out to Denver. The low humidity there (compared to Mobile) is very appealing to her.

Until she can leave Mobile, however, she insists on recreating the frigid Colorado winters in the office by keeping the air conditioning turned way down--freezing both her office and the rabbi’s office!

One of her most memorable experiences at the Temple was when the previous rabbi, Donald K., showed her his Jimi Hendrix concert tickets from the 1960s.

Regarding the transition between rabbis, Susie recalls feeling a little apprehensive because she knew that the new rabbi was originally from New York but lived in Jamaica. Over a year later, she is more than pleased with the direction the Temple is going, citing the new rabbi as instrumental in the creation of new programs. Even though she admits this will mean more work for her, she does not mind because it helps the Temple.