MANALAPAN – Congregation Sons of Israel will dedicate its new playground to the memory of Michelle Jodi Narson, the daughter of Renee and Rick Narson, and brother of Lonny Narson.
The dedication ceremony will be held at the synagogue, Gordons Corner Road, at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 8.
Renee Narson is the synagogue’s nursery school director.
Through the efforts of hundreds of people in the nursery school and throughout the community, a significant amount of money was contributed to fund what is being called Michelle’s Magic Garden.
Michelle was 33 when she died of a sudden death heart attack on Jan. 31, 2005.
The Narson family has expressed its overwhelming gratitude from the beginning.
“Never have we seen or imagined a community coming together with such love and caring as our community,” the family said.
Vickie Amron, administrator of Congre-gation Sons of Israel, said that after Michelle’s death, “thousands of dollars in donations were pouring in to the synagogue. We asked Renee what she would like us to do. She felt that the children needed a larger playground. At that point we asked for donations and told people the money would be put toward the playground fund. In the end, the outpouring of support was amazing.”
Amron said Narson has been associated with the temple’s nursery school for 15 years. During that time she has come in contact with thousands of families. In her time of sorrow, those families did something to try to support her.
“People who knew Renee, people who didn’t know her, people who were just trying to support someone who had lost a child showed an outpouring of support that was just amazing,” Amron said.
Friday night services will follow the dedication of Michelle’s Magic Garden and the Oneg Shabbat will be sponsored by the Narson family in gratitude of the support and love they have been shown, according to a press release from the synagogue.
– Mark Rosman