Congratulating Rabbi Micah Greenstein

Floor Speech

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Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Rabbi Micah Greenstein of Temple Israel in Memphis for his 30 years leading the historic, 167-year-old congregation.

Rabbi Greenstein is the most recent in a long line of rabbis leading a congregation whose history is entwined with the history of the city of Memphis, from the Civil War and yellow fever epidemic, through both World Wars and the Civil Rights movement.

One of Rabbi Greenstein's predecessors, Rabbi James Wax, led the Memphis Ministerial Association during the Memphis Sanitation Workers strike and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in 1968.

Rabbi Greenstein has been instrumental in working with the Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope (MICAH), his namesake, a group dedicated to dealing with social issues and economic and educational disparities in our community. Rabbi Greenstein returned Temple Israel to Midtown Memphis when he dedicated Temple Israel Crosstown, an auxiliary branch in Crosstown Center, an important move for Judaism in Memphis.

Rabbi Greenstein is a great orator and the congregation looks forward to hearing his High Holy Days remarks each year. He is also the Jerry West of rabbis for his ability to select phenomenal cantors and associate rabbis to complement his talents and present an All Star team at Temple Israel, from Rabbi Katie Bauman to Rabbi Bess Wohlner to cantorial soloist Happie Hoffman and many others, including a husband- wife team.

Rabbi Greenstein has brought together Memphis religious leaders addressing Memphis' crime problems and helped calm anxieties after the September 11 terrorist attacks by linking arms with Muslim and Christian leaders. I commend Rabbi Greenstein--my rabbi--for his 30 years of service in Memphis and wish him many more productive years in our community.

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