Annual Dinner – April 7 (5-8pm)
RECOGNIZING MAXINE LAUTENBERG & ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE JOHN CATONE
AT THE ANNUAL DINNER GALA
This year, Temple Sinai is pleased to recognize two people for their service to the temple over the past years.
Maxine Lindig Lautenberg was born in the small Texas town of Bandera and went to college at Texas Christian University, receiving a BFA in ballet and modern dance. Maxine moved to Hawaii and then New York City to pursue a career in dance after which she became a licensed massage therapist. This led her to study alternative and holistic forms of therapy and healing. She had a private practice for 12 years and co-led group intensives with a focus on building egalitarian community.
After moving to Saratoga Springs in 2000, in search of a place to raise her and her husband Joel’s children in the Jewish faith, Maxine attended an open house at Temple Sinai. As with many other congregants, Maxine felt comfortable with the Temple community and began to help with many of the building concerns. She was instrumental in the kitchen remodel, the oneg room restoration, rehabilitation of the ramp gardens, and oversaw the day-to-day building issues while serving on the Temple Sinai Board. Maxine also took on the responsibility of the gift shop and served on the Temple’s Green Team, helping to secure and install the bike rack and bench and to organize the 5-Chai Run & Walk.
Outside of the Temple, Maxine was active with the Waldorf School and has worked with Loose Change Dance Collective, MLK Saratoga, SU Environmental Action Committee, and Saratoga Winter Club – Speedskating.
Social activism is a major interest of Maxine’s and she has been involved with the Saratoga Immigration Coalition since its inception, helping to educate the public and assist immigrants and those in need of advocacy, education, and basic services.
For Maxine, holistic healing, social activism, and Judaism as practiced at Temple Sinai are all part of tikkun olam – “healing the world.”
Temple Sinai will honor Saratoga’s Assistant Police Chief, John Catone, for his service to the Temple. After the horrific shootings at The Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Jewish communities across the nation became concerned about their own safety. At Temple Sinai, we also felt this concern and President Michael Marx reached out to the Saratoga Police for advice and assistance, discussing matters with Assistant Police Chief Catone. They have had talks on safety issues, had police officers at the building during services, and a police presence is maintained on Sundays during religious school. Working with Temple leaders, Assistant Police Chief Catone continually looks for ways to assure the safety of the Temple and its constituents.
John Catone is a native Saratogian who attended St. Johns University. He has a BS from Empire State College and an MS from Arizona State University. John joined the local police in 1987 and has seen the growth of Saratoga -especially the “inner core” area – over the past several years. Assistant Chief Catone feels that an important role of the police in Saratoga is to be seen as a friendly and co-operative part of the community while still protecting the city and its citizens and visitors.
We hope that you will join us in recognizing these year’s honorees on Sunday, April 7, at the Embassy Suites.