My City December 2022

MYSTORY

RABBI ZOE McCOON OF TEMPLE BETH TORAH

BY MARK SPEZIA PHOTOS PROVIDED BY TEMPLE BETH TORAH

I t was July 2, 2021 and the then-27-year-old Grand Blanc native was leading her first ser vice as Rabbi of Temple Beth Torah in Fremont, CA, just north of San Jose. “So friends, while we are waiting for every thing to get up and running,” she began the Zoom-only event before pausing and waving. “Hi, this is Rabbi Zoe,” she continued. “We are going to do some singing to get us in the Shabbat mood.” At first, some of those tuning in to the service sang along with McCoon as she began perfor-

Acoustic guitar in hands, Rabbi Zoe McCoon greeted her new congrega tion with a stir ring rendition of a traditional Jewish hymn and seeming ly endless smiles.

ming the hymn, Hine Ma Tov (“behold how good”), but many opted to simply listen to a voice most of them were hearing for the first time. Then, a beaming McCoon stepped aside as then-Beth Torah President Rick Brodzinsky came to the microphone. “We interviewed many wonderful candidates to become our new Rabbi and we are so hon ored that Rabbi Zoe McCoon chose us when we offered her the position,” he said. “It is now my great pleasure to introduce Rabbi Zoe to the congregation to lead us in prayer.”

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