March 2025

Letter from the Rabbi

Dear Temple Israel Community,

“When we enter Adar, we multiply joy!” (Babylonian Talmud Ta’anit 29a)

This year the ancient early Spring month of Adar aligns with March and invites us to do our part to magnify the joy and goodwill in the world. This year, many of us may find this particularly challenging. Our cold winter seems like it will continue for a while longer. In our community, along with much of the world, we are coping with a great deal of uncertainty and concern for the immediate and long term future. In our people’s ancient homeland Eretz Yisrael, this is particularly pronounced as the hostage exchange and ceasefire deal are currently stalled.

So, while our tradition teaches this is a season of joy, our experience may not naturally lead us to increased joy. How can we reconcile this tension?

We can come together to join in the life of our community, of course! In this month ahead, we will have opportunities to sing our hearts out together as we celebrate Purim as well as to comfort grieving members of our community. We will have the opportunity to wrestle with how Torah shines light into current events as well as to welcome new children to our community. We will raise funds for the future of our synagogue as well as for the immediate needs of hungry people in our local community.

As we come together to engage in the Mitzvot through which our tradition offers structures of support for the years and seasons of our lives, we can cultivate a deep sense of joy and goodwill. This deep joy derived from our deep connections with each other, with G-d and Torah, is a core ingredient for resilience of heart and spirit. It may very well be that this resilience born from the joy of community that has enabled our people to persevere throughout the generations.

This month, please consider how you would like to embrace these opportunities to join together with your Temple Israel community. May we together magnify our joy!

L’shalom,

Rabbi Micah R. Friedman

הרב מיכה שמחה פרידמן 

March 2025

Letter from the President

Dear Members and Friends of Temple Israel,

     Wow, February flew by, with a full program of Temple Israel services, classes, and activities to ward off the chill! We hope you enjoyed the Tu b’Shevat Seder, Scout Shabbat, and Shabbat dinner programs. As we enter the month of Adar still in winter’s icy grip, we look forward to the transition in seasons and the Spring holidays.

Purim is fast approaching, and with it our first Musical Artist-in-Residence Weekend March 14th-16th. This joyous musical event will feature 4th generation chazzan and musician Zachary Mayer, and will offer something for everyone: Friday Evening Megillah Reading and Kabbalat Shabbat service with nosh, Shabbat Morning Services with Kiddush, Havdallah service and Participatory Concert with light refreshments on Saturday Evening, and a Sunday Morning Harmony Workshop with light refreshments as well. Engaging children and adults, Zach will participate in all events throughout the weekend.

In addition to promising great fun, this is also an important fundraiser for Temple Israel. Please consider a contribution to Temple Israel at whatever level suits your situation: Queen Esther, Uncle Mordechai, King Ahashverus, Queen Vashti, and the Jews of Shushan; all are appreciated sponsors of this event. I sincerely hope that you can support your Temple Israel in this way. Members and non-members are welcome at no charge, but please register so we know how many to expect. Tell your friends – better yet, bring your friends – to participate in this three-day musical fun-fest!

In closing, I must acknowledge the fraught times in which we exist – in the Middle East, in Europe, and here in the US. I hope that Temple Israel can provide some comfort in shared values and hope for peaceful resolutions to these bitter conflicts. Your donations and your volunteerism are essential to maintain our strong institution.

Spring is on the way – see you at our synagogue soon,
Art

Arthur B. Siegel
President – Temple Israel