“Be a Light”
A few years ago, I found myself feeling deeply isolated and depressed. One Saturday morning, my now‑husband Robert and I wandered into our local Reform synagogue during Torah Study. Almost immediately, we felt a genuine kinship with Rabbi Rony Keller, whose humor, warmth, and light made us feel seen. From that day forward, he became a steady presence in our lives—guiding us through my Adult B’not Mitzvah, supporting us through health challenges, and most recently officiating our wedding. We look back on that day as perfect, in no small part because of the Rabbi’s gentle humor and the heartfelt connection he brought to the ceremony. Standing beneath the chuppah with him, we felt certain that everything in life would be okay.
The synagogue’s leadership chose to end his contract early, and it feels like a profound loss. This quilt is our gift to him as he steps into his next chapter. At its center are cyanotypes I printed in the sun: Shabbat candles for the many Shabbat mornings we shared in Torah Study; a hand with a ring to honor our wedding; the Yad I held when reading from the Torah at my Bat Mitzvah; and a palm, symbolizing that he will always have love and community here in Florida.
The surrounding fabrics are intentionally varied, with many hand‑dyed, some with indigo or other natural dyes. The triangles come from scraps I had on hand, and to me they represent the way Rabbi Keller welcomes every person exactly as they are, creating a vibrant, harmonious tapestry of personalities around him. The next border holds additional cyanotypes representing everything from local orchids to willow and wheat, nodding to our tropical flora and the cycle of Jewish holidays. On the back is a large panel of cows, a playful tribute to the many times I found myself weaving my work in organic livestock into Torah Study discussions. At our wedding, he joked that when he first met me, I disagreed with the Torah on behalf of dairy operations—since then, I’ve been the “cows” portion of Torah Study, and it remains one of my favorite memories.
We will miss Rabbi Keller deeply. He has been a true guidepost for us through challenges and transitions, and we credit him with much of the wisdom that helped us reach the beautiful place we stand today. He entered our lives at exactly the right moment, and this quilt is a small reflection of the immense impact he has had on us.
