Category: Featured

My first summer as TE’s president has been relatively quiet. School is not in session, summertime services have been beautifully planned and led by fellow congregants, and Rabbi Farbman and the Spain travelers have returned from what they say was a fabulous trip.  I am acutely aware, however, that these lazy, crazy days of summer are numbered… the High Holidays have appeared on the horizon, and I feel we are racing toward them at light-speed.

Our tradition teaches that these holidays, and the Days of Awe between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, are most meaningful for us if we prepare for them in advance. How are we to take time and focus away from our daily chores and activities to prepare for examining our behavior over the past year, recognize our shortcomings and misdeeds, and seek a way to come closer to God?

Our tradition suggests that during the month of Elul before the High Holidays, God is particularly accessible. I thought about this recently when I visited our cemetery, and read the headstones of so many of my friends, mentors, colleagues, fellow congregants. At each grave, I stood a few moments and thought about each of them – what they believed, how they laughed, what I learned from each. I stood at the grave of my close friend and mentor, Rabbi Jerry Brieger Z”L. Before Jerry welcomed me into TE 40 years ago, I had no personal tradition of celebrating the High Holidays. Rabbi Brieger’s gentle yet learned style enticed me to participate in these traditions, to reflect on what I had done and who I wanted to be, and to prepare for a new beginning as the new year was born. That first Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur for me was really the first time I had spent much time thinking of my accomplishments, my mistakes, my regrets, my hopes and my relationship with my fellow humans and with my God. As we completed the day of fasting and prayer on Yom Kippur, as one community singing together, the wonderful surprise I had not anticipated was my sense of redemption, intense love and real hope for the future.

This year, my preparation for the Days of Awe began as I stood in the cemetery with my beloved Jerry, thinking of how lucky I was to have had such a guide and loving friend. I do not know how many more Days of Awe I have on this planet. I do know that our tradition of introspection, repentance, reconciliation, forgiveness, gives me the opportunity to find again my true self, my purpose, my appreciation of all that life offers, and my hope for our future together.

I hope each of you might also have the opportunity to build again a whole heart as we prepare for the Holidays. I look forward to seeing you at synagogue.

I started my role as president of Temple Emanuel on July 1^st. It seems to me a large and forbidding task; the little voice on my shoulder is saying, “Don’t screw it up! We have a beautiful community, an inspirational rabbi, a rich tradition, and a future full of promise… if you don’t screw it up.” I lie awake at night thinking what I can do to do this job responsibly.

I am so lucky to start this job at such a wonderful time for Temple Emanuel. Under the remarkable leadership of President Melissa Perkal and Rabbi Michael Farbman, we have been part of a renewal over the last several years. Our sanctuary and school have transformed to “one campus” with a new education wing, and we have seen growth in our school enrollment, staff, and programs. The excitement among young families with children in our community is palpable. We have financial security with a balanced budget, funds for programming and for maintaining our building and grounds. We have a rabbi who daily goes above and beyond – – with spiritual leadership, lifecycle stewardship, inspirational teaching for young and old, attention to the sick and families in need, and a vision of our potential.

Most impressive to me, we have a tradition of involvement and commitment. How do we survive – and thrive – – as a small synagogue with only one full-time employee (the rabbi), a part-time school administrator, and part-time teachers, caretaker, bookkeeper, and office administrator? We succeed because so many members take an active part in our synagogue life. Our Board of Directors brings experience, wisdom, and excitement to our strategic thinking and planning for our future. Working groups or committees do great work with Caring Community assuring attention to families in need or transition, Ritual Committee working with the rabbi to craft our community practice, Building and Grounds doing all the work to keep our spaces functioning and safe, Garden Committee creating and maintaining our incredible expanding, beautiful garden, Aesthetics assuring a beautiful and appropriate space, Finance managing our precious dollars, Education for both children and adults, Tikkun Olam fulfilling our commitment to giving… and many more. Individual members find joy and friendship working together to keep TE our spiritual and community home.

Why do these committed members do it? I thought about this on the mid-June afternoon following our annual meeting. Directed by Anne Eisner, dozens of men, women, and children working in 90-degree heat moved large stones from a high pile behind the sanctuary to their new home in the gardens surrounding the buildings. Others prepared a picnic for the “laborers” with hamburgers (meat-full and meat-less), hot dogs (all beef, of course), fixings, and cold beverages (including beer, of course). Why?? Fellowship, commitment, love.

If as a new president, I am able to sleep at night, it will be because I can count on the many members who make the commitment to participate. We need you!! Please find what most interests you in our synagogue life.  Join one of our working groups or committees, and share in the joy of community life. If the idea of this makes you hesitate, don’t hesitate too long… the Talmud says, “Three things are good in a little measure and bad in large: yeast, salt and hesitation.” (Berakot, 34a)  As I look out on the next years for TE, I see promise, excitement, and a spiritual home alive with young laughter, learning, and strong community.

Alan Kliger