SOUTH WINDSOR — Temple Beth Hillel in South Windsor honored outgoing President Ann Hughes at Shabbat services on Friday, June 28.

In paying tribute to Hughes, the congregation’s Religious Practices Vice President Ceil Gersten praised Hughes for her accomplishments over the course of her two-year tenure as president. Hughes, noted Gersten, was instrumental in bringing 36 members of the congregation, ages 13 to 80, to the United Reform biennial in Washington D.C. Her efforts were recognized when Temple Beth Hillel was featured in the 2013 summer issue of Reform Judaism Magazine.

Following the biennial, Hughes told the magazine, “we returned with focus groups brimming with ideas, and those groups became active committees. … It prompted us to form our first membership committee in years, and taught us how to succeed.”

Hughes, said Gersten, was also instrumental in bringing Cantor Scott Harris to South Windsor in 2012 to serve as the full time cantor. He subsequently took on the role of religious school educational director/principal for 2013-2014.

Hughes was presented with several gifts, including a silk challah cover designed and hand-crafted by congregant Maxine Greenberg.

Also honored at the Shabbat celebration was retiring temple administrator Bonnie Norman. Both Norman and Hughes were presented engraved leaves for the Tree of Life display in the Temple foyer by the Board of Directors.

A festive oneg Shabbat followed services.