Looking out the window last Sunday morning was trying. Calendar said it was the last weekend in April. Every meteorological resource said spring. But it seems, no one told nature. The evening new broadcasts were all retelling the latest snows in Syracuse, and all reminded us of the famous Mother's Day snow storm of a few years ago.

So weather and calendar notwithstanding, what is spring? Certainly it's a time period. But more, it's a state of mind. spring is the signal that the cold and snow are behind us and we have of promise of merry sunshine (sorry  Gilbert and Sullivan). The grass is visible and greening, we can file the snow shovels in the garage and take out the lawn ornaments. Or we can grouse about how late this transfer is taking place.  This has been a  long, cold, lonely winter.

We can curtail the opportunities of spring by looking back, or we can we grateful for the opportunity for new growth, new possibilities, new dreams. We are given a new day each day to decide how to use the next 24 hours. I, for one, choose hope.

We hope you will take the opportunity for a Leil Tikkun Shavuot study when members of our TAY family join with staff in presenting personal views of Torah. Leil Tikkun is on  Saturday evening, the first night of Shavuot,  May 19 at 9:15 pm, following Minha/Ma'ariv which begin at 8:20 pm.