“God was in this place, and I did not know it.”

The Open Your Eyes Fund is dedicated to strengthening the relationship of Temple Shalom members to the arts in order to deepen our connections to Judaism and Jewish learning. Established in 2012, the Fund honors the memory and creative spirit of Anita Winer, a founding member of Temple Shalom.

The mission of the fund is to bring us together to better see, understand and appreciate the beauty of our Jewish heritage. Open Your Eyes is administered by a volunteer committee, including Temple clergy and board members. The committee brings innovative programs and events that embrace the full range of the arts to our Temple community. Past events have been organized by themes that explore core Jewish ideas and include Shine the Light, Celebrating Creation and Creativity, and Entering the Heart of Jewish Stories. For more information, contact Open Your Eyes Fund committee Chair  Susan Epstein. 

Learn more about the Treasures of Temple Shalom from the building to its Torahs and past events of the Open Your Eyes Fund.

Open Your Eyes : The Insight of Anita Winer

Anita Winer had an ability to see things that others missed. Everyone who studied with her knew this. When Anita had a comment to share, it often made a connection that had been hidden until then, or shined a light from a fresh perspective.

From the Temple’s founding in 1950 until her passing in 2011, Anita’s vision, and her personal warmth and love for the Temple Shalom community, made us all richer for the time we had with her.