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Today's Featured Biography

 
Toby Lieberman Moss

How is it possible that 46 years have passed since I left my teaching job at PS 221 at the end of the school year and headed for Boston with Bernie? Why Boston? My young husband had just graduated from med school and internship was next on his agenda. It was a busy time. Bernie was “on” every other night at Children’s Hospital and, being somewhat homesick, I flew home once a month on an $8 ticket. Yes, you read that right. Because I was under 21, I qualified for this ridiculously low “student fare.”

I taught at Maimonides School, a yeshiva, and then at The Kingsley School before the next most amazing sequence of events - the arrival of three babies with the first two, a son and then a daughter, born 13 months apart, and then another son born 15 months after our daughter’s birth.

All this occurred while Bernie crossed the Charles River to study biochemistry at MIT since he realized, much to his parents’ disappointment, that he was not interested in medicine and would rather do research. The Brooklyn Draft Board had been most generous in granting student deferments for many years until they advised us that “enough is enough,” which is what my in-laws had also been saying. And so, after five years in Boston, we came to Bethesda, Maryland, for what we thought would be two years so that Bernie could satisfy the requirement for military service by working in the Public Health Service. Two years? Bernie is about to celebrate 40 productive years at NIH.

When our youngest child was about 12, I returned to the classroom where I taught 5th grade secular studies at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. It was an ideal situation for me because the school was happy to have me integrate my Judaic background with the secular curriculum. I also deserved the reputation as being a somewhat whacky member of the faculty since at least twice a month I came to class dressed as the “substitute teachers” I created.

The school was accustomed to this, but imagine the stir it created when Princess Stagnant Water, Mrs. Dreadfulberg, or any of my other characters produced by my imagination appeared on the college campus after teaching at JDS in the afternoon. Yes, while I was teaching, I also earned a Masters degree in education - not so easy while teaching and raising our kids.

After 9 years, I left the job I loved at JDS to accept another in an orthodox school so that I could work a full day. With three kids in college, I was eager to help with the tuition; however, after trying the costume bit three times, I realized this was an entirely different community and gave up the shtick. I also gave up the job at the end of the year and then began teaching in the Montgomery County School System as a substitute teacher. This was fantastic since it also allowed me to travel with Bernie now that the kids were out of the house.

Who knew then how giving up my teaching responsibility would be so important! After 29 years of active membership in my old Conservative synagogue that numbered 1200 memberships, I was eager to create a new place of worship. Nearly six years ago, three friends and I formed a breakaway congregation and took our former rabbi with us. We had no money to hire an executive director; because these three friends all held high-level career positions and I was no longer committed to my own classroom, it was obvious that I would handle the administrative details until we were able to hire an ED in the spring. As we say, giving up my own class so that I could take on this new challenge was b’shert.

I am still involved in our congregation of nearly 200 membership units leading Shabbat morning services, usually Shacharit, at least once or twice a month. As a Torah reader for over 35 years, I also chant the Megillot and Haftarot, but my great joy is the davening and bringing new melodies to the congregation. Of course, there is immense personal satisfaction in playing such a role within my community, but I take great pride in my membership in Kolot Bik’dushah, which was awarded ten years ago in recognition of proficiency in reading Torah; this year I was inducted into Nashim Bik’dushah, a more elite organization of women recognized for mastery of the liturgical skills required of Shlihot Tzibbur, worship leaders. And to think my father allowed me to quit Hebrew School after only one month because I hated it! After all, I was only a girl.

And just one more passion - the work of my hands. I’ve been stitching since I was three. If I’m not knitting for my grandson, I am doing needlepoint for my home or for my family or friends.

I am grateful for the many blessings my family and I enjoy.

Hoping to be at the reunion!

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