My feelings about Judaism go back very early to my growing up as a young man in Fort Worth. One of the most important parts of my Jewish connection was going to the High Holy Days. Now, that was kind of strange, because I was not very fond of going to Religious School. I wasn’t sure if I just didn’t like it or if it just wasn’t popular. But going to the High Holy Days and sitting in the congregation meant looking at the people that were there: the leadership of the community, the lawyers, the doctors, and the business people who had built Fort Worth, people whom I respected. And I always remember looking at these people and looking for the opportunity that I would have one day, in growing up and being somebody in the Jewish congregation on a High Holy Day and being a part of building a community.

        I went to the University of Texas, where I met Rene Mandel. We got married and moved to San Antonio to start our career. I’ll never forget moving into our first duplex where we lived. We connected the phones, turned on the electricity, and then we joined the Temple. Never, ever have I thought that that was not one of the most important things to do - to be a part of this congregation.

        The Temple was very important to me in Fort Worth. I knew the Temple was going to be very important to me in San Antonio. As I entered my business career, worked in the family real estate business and came to the High Holy Days, I would look across the Sanctuary, and again the names of the business leaders, physicians, lawyers, and people who had helped to build San Antonio were either sitting with me or their names were around the synagogue. Working in the family business, I felt I had an opportunity to help to build San Antonio. That’s what I enjoy doing, that’s my love, that’s what I do.

        There was a very special person whom I met in the business - a city councilman who was getting ready to be mayor. He was dynamic and charismatic, and one of the most intelligent men that I have ever met. That is very hard for me to say, since he was graduated from Texas A&M, but Henry Cisneros was a very, very special person, and I realized that working together, we might could make a difference in San Antonio.

        I have been very, very fortunate to be involved in a lot of things that have developed this city. I get a lot more credit for things than I deserve, as Rene can tell you. In my business we have tremendous ups, a lot of accomplishments; and we also have failures. These are all a very, very important part of my life. I have been very lucky to have the experiences of working with a lot of people in this community. This is very, very important.

        As Rabbi Stahl said in his sermon today, one of the most beautiful things about San Antonio - unless you have lived in other cities, you don’t realize what we have here – is a harmony and a diversity of the community. In San Antonio, you can be whatever you want to be.

        In the 125-year history of this congregation, we are getting ready to celebrate, you can take a look at the history of San Antonio and realize that the names are the same. You take a look in the Presidents’ Room and take a look at the photographs. I’ll never forget when I had the job of maintaining this Temple and being on the Board. We re-did the Presidents’ Room and we re-framed all the pictures of the past presidents. Take a look at those names of the past presidents of this congregation and then take a look of the names of the people that helped to build this city. Take a look at the names around this Temple, the people who played a major part in building this Temple - what it is today. Then take a look at this community and realize the integral role the rabbinic leadership has always played, not only in this congregation, but in the community as a whole.

        There are givers and takers. Luckily the people that helped to build this Temple and the Jewish people in this Temple today have been givers to this community, and I am very, very proud of it.

        The future of this city lies with the people. I bring a lot of people to San Antonio. I sell San Antonio. And when I bring them to San Antonio, I show them the Riverwalk and the Alamo, but I always show this Temple. This is a beautiful, beautiful building, a beautiful synagogue that is part of what makes San Antonio special. This building is special and it needs to be preserved, and I am pledging to help to do that. But more important than the building, more important than the people who come and sit here on the religious holidays, are the people that leave this synagogue and go out and do the things we want to have done.