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February 2025

Letter from the Rabbi

Dear Temple Israel Community,

I hope this message finds you all staying warm in this stretch of Winter with which we enter the months of February and Shevat. In February, March, and April, there will be abundant opportunities to be warmed together by the strength and livelihood of our community as we look
ahead to Spring!

In February, we will gather for special Shabbat celebrations on Saturday mornings as well as on Friday nights with communal dinners. First, we have a Shabbat dinner and program for Kids and Families on the first Friday of the month 2/7. For those who joined us in December, we hope you will again join in a joyous and fun program to welcome Shabbat. All are welcome to join and to RSVP through the form on our website or contacting the office. Two weeks later, we will have our annual Scout Shabbat, led by Michael Martinez when we will welcome scouts from throughout the region for a kabbalat service followed by dinner.

We are working hard on a joy filled Purim celebration and Musical-Artist in Residence weekend in March! Beginning the first week and February and running until Purim, I will be leading a group in exploring how the ancient rabbis read Megillat Esther – the book of Esther. On Wednesdays at 10:30 AM, we will learn to appreciate the religious, ethical, and literary approaches of the Rabbis in order to contemplate how we can relate to the book of Esther as contemporary American Jewish. We will build our anticipation each week for our March 14 Purim Celebration!

This month also brings us the holiday of Tu BiSh’vat. We are planning to celebrate this Jewish holy day dedicated to trees on Wednesday 2/12 with a special seder. All are encouraged to participate! More information on this opportunity will follow.

Finally, the past month has been an eventful period in world affairs. Since our last monthly bulletin, a ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas. Thank G!d, this has led to the release so far of 13 Israeli and 5 Thai hostages who have suffered for more than a year in captivity. Events such as these are bittersweet, as we both watch with joy as families are reunited and reel with ongoing concern for the future. We hope and pray for the speedy release of all of the hostages still held in captivity along with a larger and lasting peace throughout the Land of Israel and throughout the world. Wishing you all strength, resilience and hope.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Micah R. Friedman

הרב מיכה שמחה פרידמן 

January 2025

Letter from the President

Dear Members and Friends of Temple Israel,

     Baby, it’s cold outside! But fortunately, our Chapel and Sanctuary provide a warm haven on these cold days. Drop in at 5:30pm on Tuesday for a brief service and help make a minyan for those in our midst who are memorializing the loss of a loved one. Or join Rabbi Friedman and your friends on Friday evening to welcome Shabbat with spirited services. On Saturday morning, our services include a Torah Lesson and always conclude with kiddush refreshments provided by your Trustees. Come on in from the cold and enjoy the warmth of these services and the social engagement that accompanies them. As you know, a number of our regulars seek warmer climes during the Winter months, so we very much appreciate your participation in our services and programs, whether in-person or via zoom. We look forward to seeing you.

I also urge you to check out some of Rabbi Friedman’s study opportunities. His rich and accessible scholarship is much appreciated, and he is continuing the weekly Tuesday 4:30pm sessions – “Torah in Our Times” – and adding a new weekly offering – “The Whole Megillah” – on Wednesday mornings at 10:30am. The latter will be available via zoom for those who can’t get to shul, but you will find it a more fulfilling experience in-person, if you can make it. Our next Kids and Families Kabbalat Shabbat (including dinner) will be held on Friday, February 7th. Please contact the Office or the Rabbi if you can help with this program. On February 21st, Temple Israel will again host the local (regional) instance of Scout Shabbat. Scoutmaster Mike Martinez is organizing this event at TI and providing the refreshments, so please join us that evening to show your support.

Planning is well underway for our celebration of Purim: the long-awaited Musical Scholar-in-Residence Weekend with Zachary Mayer March 14th-16th. With Friday Evening Megillah Reading and Kabbalat Shabbat, Shabbat Morning Services with Kiddush, Havdallah and a Concert on Saturday Evening, and a Sunday Morning Harmony Workshop, the weekend will be full of music, learning, and fun! The volunteer organizers are seeking sponsors at various levels, so please consider how you can support this important fundraiser for Temple Israel. Most important, though, please plan to participate personally in this three-day celebration – there will be something for everyone!

Against the backdrop of the tumultuous and uncertain world in which we live, I hope that our synagogue, under the guidance of Rabbi Friedman, provides a comfort zone for the spirit of all who seek solace herein. Thank you to our Officers, Trustees, Committees, and each and every one of you who support our institution with your time and effort, and provide the financial resources which sustain our synagogue.

Keep safe and warm, and I hope to see you in shul,
Art

Arthur B. Siegel
President – Temple Israel