Change: Amazingly, this is my last column as I finish my term as President at Temple Emanuel. It has been a privilege to serve, and moreover, to have one’s service accepted. I am humbly grateful to Temple Emanuel for the sacred opportunity to have helped lead TE over the last three years. In addition, it has been three years of change and growth. From completion of the Jonas and Barbara Miller education wing, to the replacement of the old HVACs, and placement of the solar panels, we have done lots of work on the physical plant of our TE home. We have strengthened our school with a part time director, improved our bookkeeping system, and started our Federation Endowment and Legacy funds. Even more importantly, we have added families, staff, and programs that make our TE home a place where people want to come, learn, share, and experience Judaism.
Commitment: Without the commitment of our many TE members over these last several years nothing would have gotten done. I would like to acknowledge with deep appreciation the truly generous support I have gotten from my fantastic fellow members as we have journeyed together. A very smart editor of the Shofar once counseled me that if I list names, I will undoubtedly leave off one or two of the most important. I have tried to heed her warning. But, I can say that I have been blessed by the amazing help of the TE Board and officers, the Rabbi, the director of the school, the bookkeeper, the office administrator, and the caretaker. But it is all the other members who teach, head events, champion causes, raise funds, do publicity and communications, create beauty (outside and in), cook, schlepp, and otherwise provide the real hands on work that I am most grateful to. We are a community of “do-ers”.
Continuity: I am optimistic that we are a growing community on the move. Come help be part of that energy that moves us. The Annual meeting is on June 11; besides the bagels, you will have the opportunity to voice your opinion and vote for the budget, the slate of officers, and the new Board members for the coming year. It is a group of individuals that are ready and able to continue our success. L’dor v’dor