change makers Lizz Goldstein “Changemakers” highlights the people of Prince William who are making a difference in our community. This month, we feature Rabbi Lizz Goldstein. How long have you lived in the Prince William area, and what do you most like about living here? I have been in the area for about three years now. I love almost everything about it (excluding the traffic!): the community, the perfect blend of southern hospitality and suburban quiet with the proximity to a major city, the care of the municipal employees and so on! What are some of your favorite things to do in the area and why? Eat! There are a lot of big-box chain restaurants which I found off-putting at first, but lately I have found more and more of the great family owned, small-time and ethnic restaurants. A group of local interfaith clergy meet monthly for a lunch and chat about what’s happening in our houses of worship and our pockets of Prince William. The last few months, we’ve had great success finding all the diverse places to eat in Prince William and are basically making our way around the world, right here in Woodbridge and Manassas! How have you been involved in the community? I am the rabbi at Congregation Ner Shalom. It is technically a part-time position because our community is so small, but I love it so much that I end up devoting the majority of my time to the synagogue. Ner Shalom cares a lot about its wider community involvement, so I try to be sure we are seen at many of the local events and that we are plugged into what good works are happening around Prince William. If you had to give advice to someone new to the area, what would you tell them and why? Be sure to take advantage of all the little happenings around the area! If you’re not paying attention, it’s really easy to mistake many of the towns in Prince William as quiet suburbia with not much going on. But if you pay attention to the calendars on Prince William Living and such and try out the local businesses and parks, it soon becomes apparent how warm and vibrant this whole community really is! How would you describe yourself in three sentences? Rabbi Lizz Goldstein is the spiritual leader of Congregation Ner Shalom in Woodbridge. She was ordained by the Academy for Jewish Religion and moved to Northern Virginia shortly after ordination. She and her husband Philip love movies, hiking and their cat Badger.
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Prince William Commons
