“Welcome! Temple Emanuel is a warm, caring and open community of approximately 160 households. As a small Reform synagogue, our members have the opportunity to know one another and have meaningful input into how our synagogue operates. Temple Emanuel is a participatory, diverse, non-judgmental and intellectually vibrant congregation. Our membership comes from many towns in the greater New Haven area, and the Valley, adding to the diversity of our congregation.”
Does the above quotation sound familiar? It should—it comes from our Temple Emanuel website, www.templeemanuel-gnh.org. Have you visited it recently? Many people have done so, whether they are currently members or prospective members. Our website presents our congregation in a true and welcoming way in order to inform our members of events, past, present and future and in order to be inviting for prospective new members.
“What does that have to do with composite?” you may rightfully ask. Well, the reference to composite, in the context of architectural columns, according to Jackie Craven, who writes for about.com, is “to bring to mind a style of column that combines the Ionic and the Corinthian orders of architecture. Developed by the Romans in about the first century BC, composite columns have highly decorated capitals (tops). The leaf decorations of the Corinthian style combine with the scroll designs that characterize the Ionic style. In contemporary architecture, the term composite column can be used to describe any style column molded from a man-made composite material such as fiberglass or a polymer resin.”
So, the leafy Corinthian designs are combined with the scrolls of the Ionic style, which can be seen as a metaphor for the diverse interests and styles of TE members. The more modern use of materials in a composite column is similar to the way that Reform Judaism in general and Temple Emanuel in particular have developed to include traditional Jewish concepts and practices with a more modern outlook on the evolution of Judaism.
In a more generic sense, composite refers to something “consisting of separate interconnected parts.” Again, this reminds me of the composition of the Temple Emanuel Congregation. We all have our unique and separate lives, and yet we are connected by our community at TE.
In science, a composite particle is one made of smaller particles. So, if Temple Emanuel is one particle in the universe of Jewish existence, then each of us is a smaller particle that helps to make up the TE particle. The strengths and skills that we contribute to the composite particle are what makes it unique and what makes it strong and what makes it survive.
Last month I summarized some areas of concentration for our Board of Directors and Member Families, including Membership, Governance and Finance. In the past month many of our Committees, Board Members and Members have taken to heart the invitation to participate on many levels. We are moving forward and making great strides toward our goals and encourage you to join us if you have not already done so. We have focused direction and enthusiastic involvement, and we welcome you! Keep up the good work in responding “Hineini!”
President’s Column (This One’s Composite!)
