Sue Halfen is a valued member of our Sisterhood, our synagogue and the community at large. Sue was born and raised in Brooklyn where she belonged to a small, Orthodox, German congregation where everything was done by members. 

 

When Sue, her husband, Frank, and their young family, Stuart, Mitchell and Lisa, were looking for a temple over 40 years ago, Manetto Hill Jewish Center was a perfect fit for them; it was small, and the members were active volunteers. Sue became active in her second year of membership after complaining to the Sisterhood President that she didn’t like the way the Holiday Happenings program her son attended was being run. But, she didn’t just complain, she offered to run the program. From there she became a Sisterhood Trustee, then Programming Vice President. She is still involved as Recording Secretary and Chairwoman of the gift card program. 

 

Besides working with Sisterhood, Sue has been a Trustee of the temple running the Aleph Bet program, where adults learn to read Hebrew, and serving as Chair of the Membership Committee.

 

After graduating from Brooklyn College, Sue became a third-grade teacher in Hicksville. She took a hiatus while her children were small and became active in PTA as Willets Elementary School President and Vice President of the Syosset Council of PTAs. Later she went back to work as a remedial reading teacher in Uniondale. Upon her retirement, she became a volunteer driver for the NORCs (Naturally Occurring Retirement Community) that works out of the JCC in Plainview; she sits on the board of SOS (Seniors of Syosset). 

 

Sue’s family has flourished over the years. Stuart married Kate; they have two children, Xander and Liliana. Mitchell married Samantha; they have two children, Connor and Andrew. 

 

Sue describes Manetto Hill Jewish Center as her home away from home. Sue is our Sisterhood’s voice of reason, alternative solutions, and a trusted member of our Board and we fully support her as a Woman of Achievement.