Dear Family of Friends,
I have heard from many people that these past High Holiday services were a particularly beautiful experience for them, and I must say that they were deep and moving for me as well. It is written in the Talmud (Berachot 63b) that “Torah is only acquired in community,” and indeed, any successes of these High Holidays were a group effort, and I’d like to thank everyone who made this experience possible.
First of all, to my prayer partner, Cantorial Soloist Sam Tygiel, whose skillful and heartfelt singing invited us all into connection with the prayers. We were blessed to have him join us, and I am happy to say that we are planning for him to return for a few workshops over the course of the year. In these workshops he will help learn how to find that connection to prayer and to each other not only with him on the High Holidays, but also in our weekly services.
I would also like to thank Rabbi Anne Heath and Cantor Maggie Burton, who shared their records and gave of their time so that Sam and I did not have to begin our planning at square one, but were able to build on the history of this community. In this vein I would also like to thank the members of the Religious Practices committee, Mija Almeida, Stacy Gay, Chick Helfand, and Miriam Gleason, who gave invaluable insight and support
Extra thanks to Mija, who coordinated honors, and to Mike Novick who helped the honorees find their way to the bima at the right time, and Stacey and Mija again for helping on the bima during Torah reading. Thank you to Mike Peckman and Larry Kostant for setting up the tech so people who couldn’t make it in person could share these special days with us over YouTube, and Cherie Kostant, and Mija Almeida who took turns with Mike running tech during services. Thank you to Ken Marin and Larry Kostant for ushering, and to Jessica Yarman for offering childcare.
Thank you to Gordon Amgot for the Kol Nidrei talk, and my wife Beth Schreiber for the introduction to Yizkor (open invitation to anyone who wants to share what Yizkor means to you next year!). Thanks also to Beth for proofreading sermons, listening to me angst, picking up the slack at home, and for far too many other things to list here.
Huge thanks to Cherie Kostant at the Sisterhood for putting together the New Year’s Greeting Book. Thank you to Lori McCloud for support in the orifice, over the holidays and year round. Thank you to Sheila Thurman, Rosemarie Curran, and Gail Peckman for coordinating and preparing—and cooking for!—the sumptuous Break Fast, and to the entire sisterhood for planning and funding it. Thank you to Mike Thurman, who made sure the synagogue was clean and warm, with the correct prayer books always set out for each service. To our B’not Mitzvah class, Amanda Seltzer, Lily Goldsmith, Tia Roderick, and Zoe Alfama, for changing the Torah covers to white before Rosh Hashanah, and back to the regular coverings after Simchat Torah.
If there is anyone whose contributions or labor I inadvertently missed, please let me know so I can give gratitude and recognition where it’s due!
And finally, to everyone who took an honor, sat up close, sang out loud, and to every last one of you who came and participated, whether in person or on YouTube — we felt your presence with us, too! As Sam taught us, in both theory and practice: it is when the last voice joins that our prayers ascend.
~Reb Josh
