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Tikvat Israel Honors Two Volunteers as "Bride and Groom of Torah".........posted Sep 11, 2010
Two Tikvat Israel members who have contributed significantly in volunteer leadership roles have been selected as the 2010 "Kallat Bereshit" and "Chattan Torah" and will be feted by the synagogue community on Simchat Torah.
Janaki Kuruppu and Jonathan Solomon, a pair of energetic volunteers in key aspects of synagogue life, will be honored with special aliyot during the Torah service on Simchat Torah on Friday, Oct. 1.
A luncheon in their honor will follow the service in the TI Social Hall. (Reservations for a lunch seat must be made by contacting the synagogue office in advance of the holiday.)
Literally "the bride and groom of the Torah," the honors as "Kallat Bereshit" and "Chattan Torah," respectively, are accorded each year to two TI members or staff members who have made major contributions to the synagogue's spiritual, educational and or cultural life.
Janaki Kuruppu
Kuruppu, who converted to Judaism 18 years ago, has been a leader in building up and promoting the synagogue’s electronic communications during the past five years, including introducing the first blog on the Tikvat Israel website and mangagement of the website for about three years.
Her volunteer involvement includes arranging of Torah readers and the planning of alternative high holiday services at TI for the past three years. She previously led a Buddhist-influenced meditation class at TI.
She joined Beth Tikva in 1994 when she moved to the area to begin medical school. She was introduced to our community by Sandy and Ira Broadman, whom she had met when she lived in the area in the early 1980's.
Professionally, Kuruppu is an assistant professor at the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland. She initially participated in global AIDS initiatives, setting up clinics in Kenya and Uganda to provide treatment for HIV/AIDS. For the last two years, her work has been directed domestically, taking care of HIV-infected patients and exploring research on the interactions between HIV and opiate addiction/treatment.
During a work-related visit to Uganda, she spent a weekend with the Abayudaya community whose members think of themselves to be of Jewish background. Many have been formally converted with the assistance of Rabbi Howard Gorin during his African travels during the past decade.
Kuruppu, who was born in London to an American Anglican mother and a Sri Lankan Buddhist father, holds a medical degree from The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences and a B.A. in biology from the University of California, Santa Cruz.
In January, she and husband Ron Rabin adopted two young brothers, Sadi and Junet, from Ethiopia.
Jonathan Solomon
Solomon, who joined Tikvat Israel in 2002, has been in leadership posts almost since then, currently holding down a second term as the synagogue governing board’s 3rd vice presidency.
After accepting the role of co-chair of the Religious School Committee in 2004, Solomon went on to become a member of TI’s Youth Commission, a board position, a writer and performer of the annual Purim Shpiel, a member of the Rabbi Liaison Committee and a participant on several working groups.
As 3rd vice president, he carries general responsibilities to the board and Executive Committee as well as oversight for all programs involving youth and families.
“One of the great things about Tikvat Israel is that you can be as involved as you want to be,” he says. “I started out helping with the religious school since working with children is part of my profession and a joy for me. One thing led to another and I just kept doing more and more. It was a natural progression, and I feel gratified as I think I am one more person making a positive difference here at Tikvat Israel.”
Professionally, Solomon is a school psychologist for the Howard County Public Schools. He is assigned to River Hill High School in Clarksville and Bryant Woods Elementary School in Columbia, where he works collaboratively with staff, students and parents to maximize students’ school experience, development and emotional well-being.
In addition, Solomon helped craft Howard County’s Suicide Intervention Procedure and the policies for preventing and addressing bullying, harassment, and intimidation. He is a member of the County’s Cluster Crisis Response Team and has served on the Psychological Testing committee and the Psychological Services Technology Committee.
He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from Hofstra University and received his master's and doctorate degrees from Syracuse University.
He and his wife, Nancy Solomon, have two teen-aged daughters, Shayna and Rachel. His parents, Alvin and Beatrice Solomon, became members of Tikvat Israel when they relocated from the NYC metro area to Leisure World five years ago.
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