The Doors Are Always Open
Many of us are still recuperating from the multitude of Jewish holidays we’ve recently enjoyed. Chanukah arrives in mid-December, so perhaps you’re thinking in the interim we’ve had the shul boarded up until then. No way! We do not wait for the holiday calendar to tell us to turn the lights on. Your synagogue has plenty for you to do all week long and quite frankly, we could use your help as our “snowbird” congregants head south for the winter.
If early morning is open in your schedule, come see the magic of our Minyannaires, a hearty group whose warm and congenial services Monday through Friday at 7:30 am need to be witnessed to be truly appreciated. Rabbi Myers even counts himself as a Minyannaire, as he is a regular morning service attendee. Stay for breakfast prepared by our crew of “Minyannaire short order chefs”, and we’ll have you back out the door by 8:30, a great way to start your day. I find that there is so much to learn from their collective centuries’ worth of wisdom and their wonderful humor. It is unfortunate that most congregants don’t encounter the Minyannaires until they lose a loved one and need their support during mourning periods. You’d come to mourn…why not come to enjoy?
If early morning isn’t your thing then visit your shul for Shabbat. Beginning on Friday evenings join us for our 6 pm Kabbalat Shabbat service for a relaxing hour of prayers led by Rabbi Myers. On Saturdays our 9:45 am Shabbat service is a terrific way to start your weekend and the Kiddush luncheon that follows allows you an opportunity to catch up with fellow congregants, friends and family in the synagogue community. If you’re a scotch or bourbon drinker then join the Shabbat L’chaim Club recently begun by Rabbi Myers who is an expert on scotch. Take a swig prior to the kiddush luncheon and get some single malt education by our esteemed Rabbi; attendees love this new feature of our post Shabbat service activities.
If you have attended either the Kabbalat Shabbat or Shabbat service within the past month I hope you noticed something different. THREE simultaneous and distinct services taking place on Friday evening and Saturdays. With New Light Congregation’s move into our building last month, they have joined us along with Congregation Dor Hadash to make for a very active hub of ritual and social activity on weekends. This is the reality of the metropolitan synagogue model, and all of the congregants in attendance are loving the increased activity in our building.
Sunday morning services at 9 am offer ideal timing for Sunday school parents to enjoy the camaraderie of the Men’s Club – women welcomed! Our service begins at the same time as our TLC students are arriving for school, so if you are a parent of a TLC student, why not drop your child off and stay for the brief service and our Men’s Club sponsored breakfast? It’s a very nice way to spend your Sunday morning.
As you can see, even without a big-ticket Jewish holiday on tap you can always find something to do at your shul. So don’t let the winter’s colder and shorter days keep you inside and alone; bring yourself, bring your family or bring a possible new member and enjoy the warm benefits of Tree of Life*Or L’Simcha. I’m looking forward to seeing your there.
