Every gift to the Temple Shalom Endowment Fund has a story behind it.
Some are stories of gratitude… for friendships formed, for clergy who made an impact. Some are stories of memory… honoring parents, honoring spouses, honoring the people who made Temple Shalom feel like home. Some are stories of belief… a belief that what we are building here matters and must be protected and sustained for the future. But all of them share one thing in common: a desire to ensure that Temple Shalom will be here, strong and vibrant, for generations to come.
In today’s blog, we share why members of our community made the decision to give – in their own words and from their own hearts. Today, we share the stories of Robyn Carafiol and Dennis & Julie Eichelbaum, three of many donors to temple’s endowment funds.
For Robyn Carafiol, Temple Shalom has been a place to build a Jewish home, form lifelong friendships, step into leadership, and give back to a community that has given so much to her in return.
Robyn joined Temple Shalom in the early 1980s after marrying her first husband, Don Carafiol, an early member of temple. She was not Jewish at the time, but in 1991 made the decision to convert and fully embrace Jewish life in order to create a Jewish home for her family and to raise their daughter, Kelly, with a strong Jewish identity. Under the guidance of Rabbi Ken Roseman and Cantor Croll, Robyn’s Jewish journey began. “I was ready to get involved and make friends right away,” Robyn recalls. “We had a daughter we were raising in a Jewish home, and I wanted to be part of the Jewish home we were creating.”
Robyn’s upbringing had already prepared her for an involved life in a house of worship. “My family in Atlanta was actively involved in the church where I grew up,” Robyn remembers. But it was her new mother-in-law, who had been a long-time active member of her synagogue’s Sisterhood in St. Louis, who encouraged Robyn to join Temple Shalom Sisterhood because “that’s a great way to get to know people.” That decision, she says, would shape her temple life for decades to come.
While daughter Kelly attended Sunday School and prepared for her bat mitzvah, Robyn became deeply involved in Sisterhood leadership. By 1997, she accepted the role of Sisterhood president – a role she stepped into quickly, but one that felt quite natural. “That was a pretty fast track,” she said with a laugh. “But it felt right. I’ve always loved Sisterhood. We do fun and important things together.”
Today, Robyn continues her leadership and service to Temple Shalom as Sisterhood Membership VP, as a very involved social justice leader, and as a trustee on the Temple Board. Her involvement over the years has given her a unique perspective about Temple Shalom – not just as a member, but as someone who has helped shape its programs, community, and leadership. To Robyn, membership at Temple Shalom means connection above all else.
Robyn’s work as a lead real estate agent with Walker Realty Partners has given her the opportunity to sponsor Temple events and programs, creating a meaningful way to support the community while also building connections.
“Membership at Temple Shalom is connection to a beautiful community,” she said. “We are a family, and I like being an integral part of this family.” She feels connected to other members whether she is walking into a meeting, walking into an event, or walking into the Sanctuary. But her deep appreciation is for the generations of members who came before her – the people who built the congregation, led services, taught religious school, planned programs, served on committees, and supported the Temple financially.
“At Temple Shalom, we are standing on the shoulders of those who had the vision and commitment to start the congregation,” she said. “Over the years and decades, many Temple Shalom members have participated in worship services, sent their kids to Religious School, planned and attended programs and fundraisers, even cooked dinners in the kitchen and served them in the social hall. They have given generously, of their time and resources.”
That perspective – understanding what it takes to sustain a synagogue – played a major role in Robyn’s decision to support the Temple Shalom Endowment Fund through a testamentary gift. “Serving on the Temple Board opened my eyes to the finances of the Temple and an understanding that a well-funded Endowment Fund would make a huge difference in what we are able to do for our members and for the community,” she explained.
Robyn made the decision to include Temple Shalom in her legacy giving plans by making a pledge to the Endowment Fund and including that pledge in her will. She is quick to point out that legacy giving is not just for those who can make very large gifts. “My gift isn’t huge,” she said. “More than likely, many of you could do exactly what I did, and when many of us make smaller pledges, they add up.”
For Robyn, giving to the Endowment Fund is ultimately about values – the values that were passed down to her and the values she hopes to pass on to future generations. She believes strongly in the importance of Jewish identity and community, even as families and generations change over time. Her daughter Kelly became a bat mitzvah at Temple Shalom, and today, Kelly wants her own daughter to understand her Jewish heritage and roots. Robyn often sums up her philosophy simply and directly. “I believe it’s important to put your money where your mouth is. I freely profess that I am a Jew, so I follow that up with support to the Jewish community with my time and money.”
Robyn Carafiol’s story is one of connection, leadership, and a deep belief in the importance of sustaining Jewish community for the future. Her legacy gift reflects a philosophy shared by many Temple Shalom members – that each generation has a responsibility to help ensure the synagogue remains strong for the next.
That same sense of gratitude, responsibility, and commitment to future generations inspired Dennis and Julie Eichelbaum to make their own commitment to the Temple Shalom and to establish the Eichelbaum Education Endowment Fund. Their story, like Robyn’s, is rooted in a love for Temple Shalom, a belief in Jewish continuity and education, and a desire to give back to the community that has meant so much to their family.
For the Eichelbaums, supporting the Temple Shalom Endowment Fund is about family, Jewish education, community, and the future they see unfolding for their children, grandchildren and generations beyond.
As longtime members of Temple Shalom, Dennis and Julie have built their lives around our Jewish community, all while raising a family and building a successful law practice, Eichelbaum Wardell Hansen Powell & Muñoz, P.C. Since their first meeting at Temple Shalom back in 1990, Dennis and Julie have shared their talent, time and resources in just about every aspect of temple life.
Dennis has served as president of the Board of Trustees not just once, but twice, and is the originator of the Ozrim program. Julie has served on the Board of Trustees and as president of Sisterhood. In their three-plus decades at temple, they’ve both volunteered in the Religious School, sat on and led various committees and task forces; and led both fundraising and fun-raising activities including the Cornhole Bowl (remember that one?) and most recently Family Mitzvah Day. Dennis’ talents have been shared with members through events including Brotherhood’s Shalom Award and the Purim Palooza and Julie’s vocal talents have been highlighted in the temple choir for more than 25 years.
Their connection to Temple Shalom is deeply tied to family. With three married children, two grandchildren, and two more on the way – all living in Dallas – Dennis and Julie see Temple Shalom not only as their synagogue, but as their family’s Jewish home for generations. Supporting an endowment fund is a natural extension of the values they have always believed in: education, community, and ensuring that Jewish life remains strong for the future. After all, it was at Temple Shalom’s religious school where the two first met.
Julie grew up at Temple Kol Ami outside of Detroit where her father was a temple president and her mother was membership chair who also served on the board. “Since I was really little, temple was a part of my life. I ran around like I owned the place,” Julie recalled. So joining a synagogue as a young professional in Dallas was an easy decision. “I was a trainer in my professional career, so it seemed a natural fit for me to teach Sunday School.” But that wasn’t as easy as she thought, and she was told that she wasn’t qualified to teach. “However, in exchange for membership dues, I agreed to substitute,” Julie added. And that is where she first saw Dennis, teaching Sunday School in a 3-piece suit! Not impressed at their first meeting, Julie was invited to be the female chaperone at an overnight confirmation retreat – at Dennis’ request. He was smitten. Dennis and Julie married in 1991 and welcomed their first child in 1992, blessed by Rabbi Kenneth Roseman z’l.
Their three children were consecrated, became b’nai mitzvah, and were confirmed at Temple Shalom. Bari and Daniel, Emma and James, and Aaron and Emily were all married by Rabbi Paley, and their grandchildren can be seen running the halls like Julie did.
So it only makes sense that when the Eichelbaums chose to support the endowment, the fund they established supports Jewish education through the Eichelbaum Educational Endowment Fund. For Dennis and Julie, education is not just about what happens in a classroom; it is about the entire experience of growing up in a synagogue – attending services, participating in youth programs, celebrating holidays, and forming friendships that often last a lifetime.
With their children and grandchildren all living in Dallas, Dennis and Julie think often about what Temple Shalom will look like in the years ahead – when all of their grandchildren are old enough for religious school, youth group, b’nai mitzvah, confirmation, and all the experiences that come with growing up in a synagogue.
Their endowment gift is a way of helping to ensure that Temple Shalom will be there for those moments – not just as a building, but as a thriving congregation with strong clergy, meaningful programs, and a welcoming community.
In addition to testamentary giving, they also chose to fund their endowment through what they describe as a “win-win” for Temple Shalom and for Israel. “When we have the opportunity, we purchase Israeli bonds in the name of Temple Shalom’s Endowment. So not only are we investing in Israel, the endowment will benefit from interest paid as determined by each bond we purchase. “Every time we have an opportunity to honor someone or make a memorial donation, we give to the endowment.”
Like many donors, Dennis and Julie see their gift as a way to give back to a place that has given so much to them and their family over the years. But they also see it as a responsibility – a way to help ensure that future members will be able to enjoy the same opportunities and experiences that their family has enjoyed. Their decision to give is rooted in a simple but powerful idea: that each generation helps build the foundation for the next.
The stories of Robyn Carafiol and Dennis & Julie Eichelbaum are different in many ways, but they share something important in common: a deep love for Temple Shalom and a shared belief that it is up to each generation to help ensure the synagogue remains strong for the next.
Some give because Temple Shalom helped shape their children. Some give because of friendships formed here. Some give because they served in leadership and understand what it takes to sustain a congregation. Others give because they want their grandchildren – and all children – to have a place to learn, grow, and build a Jewish identity.
In the months ahead, we will be sharing more stories from Temple Shalom members who have chosen to support the Endowment Fund. Each story helps tell the larger story of a community that cares deeply about its future and is committed to ensuring Temple Shalom remains strong for generations to come.
One Response
Inspiring. Thank you to the Robyn, Dennis and Julie — for your leadership, commitment to Temple and your giving to ensure a thriving future for our special community.