Thank You
By Jill Cousins
Steven Engel had a clear vision of what he wanted to do when he arrived in Orlando in 1997 to become the fifth rabbi at what was then known as the Congregation of Liberal Judaism. He had spent more than 15 years gaining rabbinical experience as a student rabbi in California, as an assistant rabbi in Ohio, and as a state rabbi in Mississippi, so by the time he arrived in Florida, he had very specific priorities.
“Everyone told me that I had to build programs and raise money, and I said no,” says Rabbi Engel, who was 38 years old at the time. “I wanted to have a congregation that was built first on relationships. So I literally spent the first five years here just meeting people, spending time getting to know them, and listening to what they had to say. And I also shared my story with them, about who I was and what I wanted to do here.”
During his 26 years at what we know today as Congregation of Reform Judaism, Rabbi Engel has done just that. He has connected with hundreds of families in Central Florida’s Jewish community and has helped grow the synagogue into the Orlando area’s largest Reform congregation. This year, with his 65th birthday approaching on November 1, Rabbi Engel is retiring, leaving behind an impressive legacy and a thriving synagogue based on meaningful relationships and Reform Jewish values.
“I think if you ask people about CRJ, one of the things they tell you is that it’s a very warm and welcoming place,” says Rabbi Engel, who will be succeeded by Rabbi Rachael Jackson in July when he begins a six-month sabbatical. “More than anything, I’m most proud of the positive, non-judgmental culture that we’ve created here, and I think the congregation is at one of the best places it has ever been. So, what a great time to retire – when you know everything is good, and it can only get better!”
(Left) This story’s author, Jill Cousins, knows Rabbi Engel well. He presided over her wedding to Kurt Levy in 2013. (Second and third from left) Over the years, Rabbi Engel led several inspiring trips to Israel and European countries including Poland where he recently delivered medicine to Ukrainians. (Second from right) The Engel family on a dude ranch vacation in 2003. (Right) Always fun-loving, Rabbi Engel helped make Judaism more approachable throughout Central Florida.
A Growing Family
Longtime CRJ member Charlotte Schwartz remembers the excitement she felt as a young mother when Rabbi Engel was named as the congregation’s next rabbi. At that time, he and wife Beverly had nine-year-old twins, Ilana and Zachary, and son Jory was five.
“I remember thinking how nice it was to have a young rabbi with young children who can relate to our main demographic, which was young families,” says Charlotte, a member since 1987 who now has grandchildren at CRJ. “He was also very relatable and easy to connect with.”
Nancy Walk, a CRJ member since 1989, was chair of the search committee that brought Rabbi Engel here from Jackson, Mississippi, where he had been the state’s only full-time rabbi from 1992-1997. He replaced Larry Halperin who had been Congregation of Liberal Judaism’s rabbi for 25 years.
“Everybody on the search committee just really liked his attitude, his knowledge, and his energy,” says Nancy, who has twice served as the congregation’s president. “At the same time, he was also very personable, and he always seemed like one of us.”
Innovation and Involvement
During his 26 years at CRJ, Rabbi Engel has presided over hundreds of life-cycle events including weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs. He’s spent thousands of hours counseling congregants and has acted as a tour guide on meaningful trips to Israel, Eastern Europe, and Cuba. Rabbi Engel was always active in the community, as well, as a founding member of the Interfaith Council of Central Florida, a board member at New Hope for Kids grieving center, and as a volunteer in a program that repairs bicycles for the homeless.
Rabbi Engel spearheaded the congregation’s name change from Liberal to Reform to clarify the synagogue’s affiliation with the Reform Judaism movement, and he was also one of the early innovators of bringing technology into Jewish worship by utilizing large TV screens in the sanctuary and broadcasting services online.
Even though his tenure as rabbi is coming to a close, Rabbi Engel – now a grandfather of two – is excited about becoming a member of the CRJ congregation and was honored by CRJ’s board with the prestigious title of Rabbi Emeritus — a first at the synagogue. That title ensures that he and Beverly will become lifetime members at CRJ... and they even get their own reserved parking spot.
“All I was looking for was a congregation that I could love and would love me equally in return,” Rabbi Engel told a sold-out gathering at a recent gala in his honor. “When I came to CRJ, that’s what happened. I found my dream: a congregation that has loved me for 26 years.”
“I think the congregation is at one of the
best places it has ever been . So , what a great time to retire – when you know everything is good , and it can only get better!”
Rabbi Engel with Beverly, his wife of 40 years.
Story was originally published in print in Summer 2023.