After I finished college over twenty years ago, the idea of graduate school certainly remained a possibility - but I never expected that I would attend rabbinical school.

Religion came late to me – in my twenties; I suppose when I first read the bible on the theory that anyone who considered himself educated had to have done so. I didn’t expect to be taken away by its narrative power or, more particularly, by its uncompromising view of human nature.

That first experience with our scriptures led me on what has become now a twenty year quest to understand myself, others and the word around me by understanding Judaism.

Doing so is a tall order. Fortunately I have lots of support. In particular, that support comes from Terri, my high-school sweet-heart and now my wife of nearly twenty-two years. Terri and I have been together for two-thirds of our lives and we still haven’t run out of things to talk about.

When not talking work, religion, or the fluctuating scale, there is always our two daughters.

Sarah, who will be sixteen in April, is a sophomore at the Kingswood- Oxford school in West Hartford and is blossoming into a wonderful young woman with a Jane Austen-like wit.

Rachel, almost twelve and in sixth grade, is an aspiring actress and chronic over-achiever. The four of us are a close-knit bunch.

Except for the six years Terri and I lived in Stamford when we first got married, I’ve been in the New Haven area all my life.

I grew up in Orange, we moved to Hamden after Sarah was born and we’ve been living in Madison for almost 15 years. I’ve worked in Wallingford at Pentron Corporation almost since college and the business Terri has built is in North Branford. Terri’s hands don’t do well in the cold, but aside from that, this is our home.

After a year here at Beth Israel, we are beginning to think of it as part of our home too.

CONTACT BRUCE ALPERT AT: bruce@bethisraelwallingford.org