Tremendous Ongoing Change
Dear Fellow Congregants:
I write you at a time of tremendous ongoing change for our synagogue. We have recently witnessed the departures of our esteemed former executive director Mr. Joel Goldstein, our hard working former controller Mrs. Janet Mernagh, and a long term member of our maintenance staff, David Kurban. A year after our change in Rabbinical leadership and two months after our tremendous long term president Michael Eisenberg stepped back to become our most recent past president, these are losses that can sting. More important, they can feel unsettling and provoke sadness and reflection.
I have felt this change as acutely as any of you. This is not the presidency that I signed up for. I thought Michael had done all the hard work! What I have learned however, is that with adversity and change come possibility and opportunity. Despite these changes, much has occurred to continue our upward course. We and Dor Hadash Congregation have agreed to the merger of our Hebrew schools. We enjoyed a magical installation weekend capped by an amazing performance by the Divas and our own talented Rabbi Myers. Mr. Goldstein and Mrs. Mernagh have agreed to stay on in consultant roles, to facilitate a smooth transition of leadership. We continue to collaborate with other areas synagogues, such as at our Tisha B’av services.
Because of these changes, we have seen a surge in volunteering among our congregants to meet our needs. We have identified ways to use this opportunity to rethink how we administer the affairs of the synagogue, to consider how we define membership, and to recognize the evolving needs of our synagogue. These events and collaborations are exciting and provide tremendous opportunity for growth and community building. Consider, in one weekend, we raised more money for the synagogue, outside of High Holiday appeals, than we had done in a decade.
I anticipate having information for you soon about our search for a new executive director and controller. I hope you all enjoy your summer. It is incredible to consider that the High Holidays are only two months away. Please keep your eye out for High Holiday tickets and our standard preparations. Even more so, please think about the ways you wish to be involved in the synagogue. More than ever, we are a lay led synagogue, and we are as vibrant as the people who step forward for us.
