| On Friday, March 19, 2004 The Gregg Wenzel Judaica Scholaship was given to Evan Cohen at the Monroe Temple. The Scholarship was $1,000 and will be given out each year around Gregg's birthday November 18th to remember his Jewish Life, to a College student studying Judaic studies. FROM THE AWARD CEREMONY: "We’d like you to know something about Gregg David Wenzel, the mentsch and sweet soul for whom this scholarship is named. Gregg was born in Manhattan, November 18, 1969, the son of Gladys and Mitchell Wenzel and brother of Maura, Rachel, and Heather. Being born on the 18th, which is “Chai” in Hebrew was so appropriate for Gregg who knew how to live life to the fullest. Gregg spent his childhood years in the Bronx and in Monroe where his family became members of our temple. He studied in our congregation’s Torah School, became a Bar Mitzvah on our bima and was a member of the Confirmation Class of 1984. He also served on the staff of the UAHC’s Camp Harlam in Kresgeville, Pennsylvania. Gregg graduated from Monroe-Woodbury Senior High School in 1987, and the State University of New York at Binghamton in 1991. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law in 1994. In Florida, Gregg was a police academy instructor for the Miami-Dade Community College-North Campus School of Justice and Safety Administration, Assistant Public Defender for Dade County and also served on the Florida Bar Counsel where he tried Supreme Court cases. Gregg was a ten-time marathon runner and finisher, three-time Ironman finisher as well as a world traveler. He was affiliated with many organizations, some of which include Chabad, the University of Miami Masters Swimming, The Florida Bar Speakers Bureau, The Florida State and Federal Bar (Southern District), FACDL, Dade County Bar Association (Young Lawyer’s Division), Civil Litigation Committee (DCBA), Miami Runners Club and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training. Gregg was a proud and devoted Jew, a lover of Judaism and the Jewish people. His love for Israel was deep: he was at Tel-Aviv University in the Spring of 1990 studying contemporary politics in the Middle East. The next year he was learning at the Ohr Somayach Yeshiva Institute in Jerusalem, concentrating on a study of Jewish Philosophy and Talmudic Law. Gregg brought this love and passion for Judaism and Jewish learning into the lives of many people he knew. He loved being Jewish and Jewish learning was a life-long passion. In his wide travels, Gregg touched people all over the world and stood out as a most genuine person. Everyone who knew him, knew that there was nothing fake or phony about him. He loved life and was always looking for adventure. He never left a moment of any day un-used. Gregg had a way of coming home and just making everyone feel special. He believed that not only did you help your family - you helped your friends. Gregg had a special way of helping people he cared about find direction in their lives. He had a marvelous sense of humor, a quick wit and helped elicit laughter and joy from people, even at the most serious of times. As his travels took him to so many places all over the world, he developed a real talent and passion for photography. His pictures were amazing and mostly showed the common humanity of people. Nothing held Gregg back from anything that the world had to offer him. Gregg loved his newest career, working as a Foreign Service Officer for the State Department. He was a patriot who loved his country. He told us to stand up for all the people who are defending our country and appreciate what they do to keep us safe and secure. On July 9, 2003, Gregg died in a tragic accident in Ethiopia. He is deeply missed by his family and all who knew him. This Scholarship will help to ensure that - vfrck uburfz - Zichrono livrachah - Gregg’s memory will be for a blessing." Gregg was a proud and devoted Jew with an interest in Jewish learning and a love of Torah. The Rabbi and Family in his home town of Monroe, NY where he began his Jewish learning and was confirmed, have created a Gregg Wenzel Judaica Scholarship Fund. It is a scholarship that will be given out each year on his birthday November 18th to a congregant’s child at our Temple in Monroe,New York, who is pursuing Jewish studies at the college undergraduate or graduate level. To contribute one must send their donation to : |
 |
|
Make the check out to the Rabbi’s Tzedakah Fund and in memo portion put for Gregg Wenzel’s Judaica Scholarship Fund. Rabbi Garry A. Loeb |