There is Room for You Here! (October 2014 KOL)
There is Room for You Here!
As we find ourselves between our two holiest days of the year, I want to offer my personal thanks to all who made Rosh Hashanah, and will make Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah so special this year. I regularly go to conventions and brag about the members of Temple B’nai Shalom. Not only do we have the most devoted volunteers but, our volunteer pool is not limited to just a handful of people. I am amazed at how many people gave of their time and talents to welcome in 5775. I thank you all. I am especially grateful to our Board and former Board members who usher all High Holy days, in addition to everything else they do around our temple.
I also want to thank our incredible office staff. We have fewer staff members per capita than almost any congregation our size, thanks to their capabilities, and due to our budgetary constraints. When you see Lynn, Ellen, or Nicky, please thank them for all they do to keep TBS running each day.
As we celebrate Simchat Torah and Consecration this first week of October, we offer special welcome to the new members who have joined us since we began the Torah last year. The Executive Committee and our Board brainstormed some creative and new ways to market TBS, and Lynn works every day to give potential members TBS love and care. We are harvesting the blessing of the fruits of everyone’s labors this Sukkot. Welcome a new face and please share the blessing of belonging with a friend or relative who lives locally.
One of the best things about B’nai Shalom is how quickly one can become an “old timer” around here. But, perhaps my favorite thing is the fact that our community embraces new members with open arms. If you want to be connected here, it doesn’t require great effort. Come to services, an Adult Ed, Mother’s Support Group, or volunteer for an active committee and before you know it, you are truly “an old timer.” And we welcome our “old timers” who have been members for decades to reconnect this year with the services and volunteer activities that make our temple great.
In writing college recommendations for my Post-Confirmation students this month, I found a wonderful story in one of the family’s files. One of the girls wrote to a member of her class:
My dad told me the cutest story on the way home tonight that I thought you’d like to hear, as it concerns your husband (Mr. Perlin). My dad said that the first time we went to services at Temple B’nai Shalom, he and my sister and I got there almost late and we were looking for three seats together in the sanctuary. My dad had just spotted some seats near the front and we were going to sit down when your husband came and sat there. My dad looked around for another couple of seats, but your husband said, “There’s room for you here,”and he moved over to let us sit with him. My dad didn’t know who he was but thought he was very nice. My dad said to me tonight that that is how he felt about TBS: “There’s always room for you here.” It was then that we decided to join the temple. Isn’t that cool? Just thought I’d share!
There is room for you here! TBS is committed to every person or family who wants to embrace Reform Judaism and live a Jewish life. Although we require that our young people who attend religious school live an exclusively Jewish life, we have families who also have people at home who embrace another faith or participate in no religion at all. What makes TBS special is that everyone who finds our welcoming community knows that we are happy to make room for all those who share our congregational values.
As the new Jewish year begins, I encourage you to bring a friend to temple, and to move over and make room for someone you don’t know when you are at services. Services are the number one way for us to welcome new people, as we are truly a praying community. Remember that your row, your table at bagel bar, and your space at oneg is an opportunity to offer a smile, a welcome hello, and a chance to enlarge our very special tent with someone seeking to be special with us.
I am energized by our wonderful start to the new year. As we welcome Student Cantor Rappaport, a host of musical guests, and even a scholar-in-residence this spring, we are happy to share the magic of TBS with all those who come to share our Jewish journey. As I travel this year solo, I thank all of you for your kindness in keeping emails to a minimum and your patience in waiting for counseling appointments until all the holidays are over. Together, we can get through this year where your needs and mine are addressed with patience and love.
Wishing you an easy fast as Yom Kippur approaches on Friday night.
Faithfully yours,
Rabbi Amy R. Perlin, D.D.