The New Year comes as a gift — every new year offers an opportunity to take a deep look at all aspects of our lives, our community, the things we treasure and want to keep close, what needs improvement and polish, and what should be discarded.
We pray. We meditate–for the power of clear thought–so that our deeds and words are in accord.
In my last edition of Minute with Moshe, I spoke about the importance of the Federation being a Bayit Chazak–a strong and courageous “house” as we work towards fulfilling our 2025 Community Vision.
This vision will be my legacy project. What is a legacy project?
This year our Federation’s Community Relations Committee (CRC) is spearheading an outreach initiative to Monroe Elementary School. The school was identified as one of the South Bend public schools most in need of help. We are asking for volunteers from our community to join us in helping Monroe Elementary School as mentor/tutors.
Sukkot is a busy holiday. We have to procure a kosher (ritually fit based on several factors) Lulav and Etrog (citron) and build a sukkah in which we will eat, relax, and sometimes sleep for the entirety of the holiday (7 days, unless it rains or snows). It is the holiday on which we march around the Synagogue with our lulav & etrog, while reciting prayers for rain in the proper season. A lot is going on and every element is full of meaning!
On the weekend of November 11th, our community will be privileged to host a delegation from Western Galilee called, “Women Leading a Dialogue” (WLD). The program is sponsored by Partnership2Gether (P2G) for Western Galilee. Many of you will remember that we hosted a similar group from the program in 2018. Their visit had a major impact on our community. That is why we are excited to host this delegation with a new cohort of women.
The harvest season, what is it all about? Time to reap from the fields, collect our crops and prepare for a harsh winter ahead? Is it the end of the year, or the beginning? With Rosh Hashanah just behind us, we know the answer is a new year. So instead of thinking about what is ending, as the color fades from the leaves, it must be that we think of the new year to come and prepare for its arrival. Speaking of arrivals, Shirlee and I sit now at O’Hare awaiting departure. We will have already returned from the Partnership2Gether with Israel Summit in Budapest by the time you read this. We sat to plan with leaders across the globe for the future of our Jewish communities, and our relationships with each other. What a perfect time for the event to take place.
I just love when someone shares a family Heritage Recipe with me. There is something very special about making a recipe that has deep personal value and rich history attached to it, especially when you know the people involved. With permission, I am going to share one such recipe with you today, gifted to us by the Shemesh Family.
