This month I have had a difficult time writing my column. COVID fatigue has set in – I am tired of writing about the pandemic and how it affects us, yet what else can I say? Then I reread some of my past columns for inspiration and was struck by this opening paragraph written in February 2020, shortly before the pandemic began:
“This morning Temple Emanuel was overflowing with members, ranging in age from toddlers to those in their 80s. It was a typical Sunday morning at TE. During asephah (Sunday morning meeting at our religious school) the sanctuary was filled with children, parents, and teachers. As the children departed for their classroom lessons the sanctuary became home to the Jewish short story program. Meanwhile, the Hebrew class for adults was going on in the social hall and the B’nei Mitzvot parents were meeting with the Rabbi in his office. Every inch of our building was being used and the energy inside the building was humming with excitement.”
Our lives have changed, yet time marches on. The TE religious school is meeting in person, and the warm autumn weather has allowed us to hold asephah with all our students and parents together outside. While I worry what such warm weather in October may mean for our planet, I have decided to see it as a blessing this year. The Delta wave seems to be waning and we are now holding hybrid Shabbat services, some of us in the sanctuary, others joining virtually. While the building isn’t humming as it was pre-pandemic, I can feel warmth and vibrancy emanating from our gatherings.
Our community has been strong and resilient, and we continue to grow. I am thrilled to say that thirteen new families joined Temple Emanuel between June and September. Keep an eye out for our caring community emails introducing our newest members, and please say hello when you meet them, either in person or on Zoom.
As I write this, I am feeling a little more ease around me – some are going to the theater and starting to travel; COVID boosters are helping many to feel less worried; a vaccine for children 5-11 appears within reach. Yet I continue to be apprehensive. What will be next, what will the colder weather bring and how do we gather as a community while keeping our members safe?
Thanks to all of you who continue to nourish our community with your work in our school, board of directors, committees and as volunteers and paid staff. I await the time when every corner of our building is overflowing with life again. Meanwhile, I enjoy seeing many of you both in person and virtually, whether it is at services, at meetings or a chance meeting in the parking lot.