[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 181 (Friday, October 15, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1100]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 CONGRATULATING RABBI MICAH GREENSTEIN

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                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 15, 2021

  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Rabbi Micah 
Greenstein of Temple Israel in Memphis for his 30 years leading the 
historic, 167-year-old congregation.
  Rabbi Greenstein is the most recent in a long line of rabbis leading 
a congregation whose history is entwined with the history of the city 
of Memphis, from the Civil War and yellow fever epidemic, through both 
World Wars and the Civil Rights movement.
  One of Rabbi Greenstein's predecessors, Rabbi James Wax, led the 
Memphis Ministerial Association during the Memphis Sanitation Workers 
strike and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in 1968.
  Rabbi Greenstein has been instrumental in working with the Memphis 
Interfaith Coalition for Action and Hope (MICAH), his namesake, a group 
dedicated to dealing with social issues and economic and educational 
disparities in our community. Rabbi Greenstein returned Temple Israel 
to Midtown Memphis when he dedicated Temple Israel Crosstown, an 
auxiliary branch in Crosstown Center, an important move for Judaism in 
Memphis.
  Rabbi Greenstein is a great orator and the congregation looks forward 
to hearing his High Holy Days remarks each year. He is also the Jerry 
West of rabbis for his ability to select phenomenal cantors and 
associate rabbis to complement his talents and present an All Star team 
at Temple Israel, from Rabbi Katie Bauman to Rabbi Bess Wohlner to 
cantorial soloist Happie Hoffman and many others, including a husband-
wife team.
  Rabbi Greenstein has brought together Memphis religious leaders 
addressing Memphis' crime problems and helped calm anxieties after the 
September 11 terrorist attacks by linking arms with Muslim and 
Christian leaders. I commend Rabbi Greenstein--my rabbi--for his 30 
years of service in Memphis and wish him many more productive years in 
our community.

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