Newton
After moving around the West Coast for the past decade, the Shemesh family came to Newton, Massachusetts where they would live for the next 25 years.
Synagogues
After moving to Newton, Sabrina began working at Temple Beth Shalom and Temple Beth Avoda. Sabrina was a Hebrew teacher and helped many American teens, including me, prepare for their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. At these synagogues Sabrina felt comfortable, loved what she was doing, and felt like she belonged. Sabrina never had to join a temple because she worked at them, and this allowed her to meet parents, and continue Israeli folk dancing.
Temple Beth Shalom in Needham, MA
Community
The Newton community is very welcoming and had great Jewish representation - so much so that it is even referred to as “Jewtown”. Sabrina said that “The people who live in Massachusetts are very down to earth and very friendly ... Boston was the most open community, and I felt welcomed and comfortable living life there.” During her time in Newton Sabrina continued to work in Staples to better her day to day English as she did in Irvine. Although Newton was a far more welcoming community for the Shemesh's than Salt Lake City, the weather was still a challenge. “I love Newton, I love the people in Newton, but I would never go back, just because of the weather.” Sabrina said.
Sabrina shoveling snow in front of her house in Newton, MA as seen in the banner