Member Spotlight – Stella Lipson

Meet Temple Solel member Stella Lipson, a sophomore at Saguaro High School. Born and raised in Arizona by her parents Robert and Joan Lipson. Stella is the youngest of her four siblings Jacob, Gabrielle, and Ethan.

Stella’s family became members of Temple Solel in 2001. Stella states, “My favorite Temple Solel memory is probably from 7th grade when we met with Holocaust survivors and listened to their stories. I also think of my Bat Mitzvah as the Best Day Ever!”

In her free time she dives competitively and is currently the Senior Patrol Leader of Boy Scout Troop (3030). Something Temple Solel members may not know about Stella is that she loves “tying knots and I know a ton of super cool ones.”

She is inspired by her mom and also her scoutmaster. “My scoutmaster is a computer engineer and an outdoors (wo)man. She always has a ‘you can do this’ attitude which rubs off on everyone she meets and she is fearless,” says Stella.

Her goal in life is to change other people’s lives for the better. Stella wants to be an engineer and is focusing now on getting good grades, helping other scouts become Senior Patrol Leader like herself and “baking a perfect French macaroon.”

Stella’s favorite part of Temple Solel “is the sense of community and how welcoming of a place it is. Walking into temple and going to Friday night services gives me a feeling of nostalgia and a sense of home.”

Before Covid, Stella would volunteer with The Friendship Circle, a Jewish organization for kids and young adults with special needs to improve their social skills. “I have worked with them for almost four years and have met some amazing people that I talk to all the time,” she says.