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Jewish Community News
Living Legacy: May 2004
The ordinary as extraordinary
By
Cecily Ruttenberg
Sitting in the kitchen of his spacious home in Morgan Hill, Steve Greenberg can’t quite understand why he and his wife Arlene have been asked to be profiled in the Jewish Community News.
“In my opinion, there’s nothing out of the ordinary about us other than we’re doing what we believe to be right,” Steve said.
To the Greenbergs this means giving what you can, when you can. While the Greenbergs may not see this as out of the ordinary, others find their commitment to the Jewish community quite extraordinary.
“The Greenbergs have done a tremendous amount for Emanu-El,” said Rabbi Dana Magat. “Steve is always here helping out.”
The Greenbergs have been involved in many aspects of the Jewish community including Temple Emanu-El, where Steve currently serves as president, and the Jewish Federation of Greater San Jose, where Arlene sits on the board. During her six-year term on the Federation board, Arlene has chaired the Planning and Allocations Committee and helped out in many other capacities. She has also served on Emanu-El’s Board. In July 2005 Arlene will become Governor for District 5170 of Rotary International. Together the couple has established a Living Legacy endowment through the Jewish Federation of Greater San Jose.
“We want to ensure that there will be a Jewish community for our children and grandchildren and whoever comes after us,” said Arlene.
Adds Steve, “In my opinion we have a moral obligation
for the continuation of Judaism and those of us who can need to uphold
that obligation. If you can’t do it financially, then you should
participate. If you can do both, all the better.”
Steve and Arlene first met, at ages 14 and 16 at a temple youth event
at Congregation Beth Jacob in Oakland.
“I remember he thought I was older than I was so I
knew that meant he liked me,” Arlene remembers with a smile.
Several months later, the couple began dating. Their first date was at
a JCC event on April 2. Three years later, at age 17 and 19, the couple
married. Arlene joined Steve in San Jose where he was pursuing a chemistry
degree at San Jose State University. When their first son Lee turned five
years old and was old enough to begin religious school, the family joined
Temple Emanu-El.
Before joining the temple, Arlene became involved in the Jewish community through Hadassah, Women’s Division of the Jewish Federation of Greater San Jose and ORT, Organization for Rehabilitation through Training.
After joining the temple, the entire family became immersed in the local Jewish community.
Steve Greenberg fondly remembers the first time he became “involved” at Emanu-El. “Harry Cohen, who was President of the Brotherhood, asked me to bring some soda to the temple picnic. It was the first thing I did besides paying my dues,” said Steve. “After that I became active in the Brotherhood, and eventually served as president.”
Today the Greenbergs have come a long way from their beginnings. Arlene owns her a very successful mortgage company, Brentwood Pacific Financial, and Steve has retired from his position as vice-president of worldwide operations for Sequel, an electronic manufacturing company that he helped to found.
When asked about an event that stands out most strongly in their minds related to the Jewish community, both Steve and Arlene recall their first trip together to Israel, in 1979. Steve vividly remembers two words from the mouth of a tour guide, who recounted the mass suicide from atop Mount Masada, as he led the Greenbergs’ tour group up the mountainside. “His comment was ‘Never Again,’” Steve recalled. “That one stuck with me.”
During the same trip, Arlene remembers a caucus where the group went around a circle and said publicly how much money they were giving. Recalling the event more than 20 years later, Arlene pauses for a moment, shyly holding back unexpected tears. “We raised our pledge,” she said. “I was so excited to be able to do that. It makes me feel very good to be able to give.”
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