Dear friends

 

As I write this I am looking back at the email I sent this time last year and realize how much has happened in those twelve months.  Last year as I looked out over the community there were only a few faces I had just begun to know; this year I know that I will not only recognize faces but also know families, stories, joys and sorrows.  I am glad that I already know many of you by name, and I thank those whose names I am still learning for their graciousness.

 

Last year on Kol Nidrei I spoke about the compass of community, the four points that enable us to flourish together.  This year I have witnessed the heart of Shir Chadash in the warm relationships that have been generated and the outpouring of support when other communities have been beset with troubles.  I have felt the soul of Shir Chadash in our prayer, in our learning and in the faces of our Shul School children as they prance through our corridors or enthusiastically rush into our classrooms or on to the Bimah at the end of services.  We have put our consciences to work in re-establishing our Tzedek Committee that, among its other work, provided shoes to a Syrian family adopted by a partner synagogue and in consolidating our BaSheret service group that comes together so quickly to respond in times of crisis.  And with the Board I have worked month by month providing examples of best practice so that we can develop our own vision of the future of our community.

 

We said farewell this year to Deborah Mintz and to Leah Fishbein, and we wish them well for all their new adventures.  And we welcomed Jennie Lavine as our new Director of Youth Education and Community Engagement.  I am delighted she has joined our community and am already enjoying working with her to establish, enrich and deepen our community education.  She is also uniquely gifted to lift our spirits with her music and joy.

 

And so we turn towards the High Holydays.  This has been a turbulent time for this country and for the world and we might crave the deep inner work of this season even more this year.  My theme for the whole season will be ' Lev Hadash - A New Heart.'  Beginning with the Selichot service on the evening of September 16th when we will use music, text, poetry and journaling to establish this theme, I shall be devoting my sermons to exploring it more deeply and mining our tradition for ways to help us feel renewed and ready for the year ahead.  I hope also that the liturgy of this season will prove to be a source of strength and inspiration.

 

 

I want to thank the whole team that puts together our High Holyday experience.  Dr Ben Musher, who is joining us again this year, comes from the floods of Houston to animate us with his beautiful voice; he joins our own cadre of davenners, including Elliot Finkelstein, Linda Hart, Will Samuels and David Kaplinsky.  Bruce Yaillen, Danielle Spadoni, Shintee Boykins and the person - still not quite confirmed at time of writing - who will be heading our kitchen are central to the smooth running of our services.  I also thank Bob Kutcher, Julie Finkelstein Steinhaus and Will Samuels for co-ordinating our services, our teams of Gabbaim and ushers, Sisterhood for the Rosh Hashanah Oneg and the sponsors of our fast breaking meal.   Together we will make these High Holydays rich and meaningful.

 

As for me, it is a blessing for me to serve you.

 

I wish us a Shanah Tovah - a sweet, happy, healthy New Year.

 

Warmly

Rabbi Silver