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Congregation Beth Shalom Bulletin
From The Rabbi’s Study Dear Synagogue Family,
High Holidays are sacred moments of opportunity. We are given the gift of a time in which we can focus and reflect. We create a perspective which allows us to examine our memory of the past as we author the memories to be cherished in the future. Each moment of our life is in fact an opportunity to pen memories which can serve as a sacred gift or God forbid a painful recollection. “Beth Shalom was built on dreams. As long as we dare to dream, the future is bright and boundless.”
In the event of an emergency
Rabbi Senter can be contacted by cell phone at 973-713-8727
The 5770 holiday season at Beth Shalom is now inscribed in our collective memory. This holiday season becomes part of the continuum that is the dream of Beth Shalom. Our children on the Bimah announcing the Shofar blasts and their processional at Havdalah were highlights of a wonderful holiday season that brought together generations in the true spirit of L’Dor Va Dor through all generations. Over the past few years we, at Beth Shalom, have demonstrated that Conservative Judaism
has a vibrant and compelling future in our area. As the middle ground within the landscape of the American Jewish community, we have the ability to reach the broadest spectrum of Jews and Jewish families within the community. The growth that Beth Shalom has experienced over the last few years is not an anomaly. We have demonstrated that strong sense of community coupled with dynamic programming and community outreach is what families are looking for. We have also demonstrated the ability to meet families and individuals where they are without sacrificing our identity and ideals. Have we experienced challenges as a result of difficult family dynamics? Of course we have. Every family experiences such challenges. It is the nature of families. Successful families overcome their challenges. The growth of the past few years has been a demonstration of what could be. Is it possible to recapture the vibrancy that made us
the fastest growing synagogue in our area? Is it possible to reharness the energy that gained the attention of the United Synagogue with four Synagogue of Excellence awards? The answer is emphatically yes. Beth Shalom was built on dreams. As long as we dare to dream, the future is bright and boundless. Once the dream dies, once hope is gone, the future is lost. The dream of Beth Shalom is a collective dream that is not contingent on one individual. As I begin my final term in the pulpit at Beth Shalom, I look forward to a year filled with dreams and dreamers, building, transitioning and writing the memories of tomorrow. With Torah Blessings, Rabbi David Ross Senter