We hope everyone got through the atmospheric rivers without too much hassle. If nothing else, it kept us inside to enjoy a warm fireplace and a good book. As all our parents know, this is the time of year when Readathons kick off in elementary schools across the district, where kids can solicit donations from family and friends for reading a certain number of pages every day. Along with raising funds for our local schools, they also encourage kids to read more and absorb more knowledge. Judaism of course has a long and rich tradition of encouraging kids to read. Every week we learn about a new Torah portion with important lessons for ourselves and our communities. One of the key features of any B’nai Mitzvah is the aspiring adult reading from the Torah for the first time and coming up with their own interpretation. In fact, the entire Jewish religion since the destruction of the Temple has been centered around reading the Torah in the search for meaning and knowledge. This year, we can all reinforce that message by fully supporting our kids’ Readathons and encouraging them to tackle books they may not have considered or thought were too difficult. Knowledge leads to wisdom, and it is never too early to start the journey.
We are also pleased to announce that Rabbi Dean will be continuing as our rabbi until the summer of 2025. The Rabbi Search Committee will therefore spend the next few months discussing the survey you all filled out and start submitting announcements later this year. The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement. We will provide more updates in the coming weeks.
This is also the time of year to start thinking about the next few major holidays, especially Purim and Passover. We will also be hosting a special Shabbat Service for the new members of our community on Friday, February 16. We encourage all of our new families to attend and be honored as the future of our congregation. You can also help make a difference by volunteering to help with the upcoming Purim Carnival, which will take place on March 24. We will send out sign-up sheets shortly. Assisting with these events allows us to connect with the community, perform a mitzvah, and make the Temple Beth Hillel experience even better. And for those who wish to make a difference in our community, we highly encourage you to consider joining the Temple Beth Hillel Board of Directors next year. Our Board is always on the lookout for members who have ideas for the future of the temple and the ability to carry out that vision. Serving on the Board makes us appreciate how much Temple Beth Hillel means to us and our children.
We also have the exciting news that one of our B’nai Mitzvah students, Scarlet, will be having her Bat Mitzvah this month on February 24. It will be a special afternoon service, starting at 3:30 p.m., and we encourage our congregation to come show their support for our newest B’nai Mitzvah. Further details will be sent out shortly.
Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place on Friday, February 16, at 7:30 p.m., welcoming all our new families. Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom, and the next Adult Education class will be hosted by Rabbi Dean on Sunday, February 18. And of course, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services at Religious School each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Thank you everyone!
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
If I am not for others, what am I?
And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel
~ Anna B Stein and David Zimring, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel
From the Presidents – Feb. 15, 2024
February 14, 2024 by tbhrich • president
Shalom Everyone!
We hope everyone got through the atmospheric rivers without too much hassle. If nothing else, it kept us inside to enjoy a warm fireplace and a good book. As all our parents know, this is the time of year when Readathons kick off in elementary schools across the district, where kids can solicit donations from family and friends for reading a certain number of pages every day. Along with raising funds for our local schools, they also encourage kids to read more and absorb more knowledge. Judaism of course has a long and rich tradition of encouraging kids to read. Every week we learn about a new Torah portion with important lessons for ourselves and our communities. One of the key features of any B’nai Mitzvah is the aspiring adult reading from the Torah for the first time and coming up with their own interpretation. In fact, the entire Jewish religion since the destruction of the Temple has been centered around reading the Torah in the search for meaning and knowledge. This year, we can all reinforce that message by fully supporting our kids’ Readathons and encouraging them to tackle books they may not have considered or thought were too difficult. Knowledge leads to wisdom, and it is never too early to start the journey.
We are also pleased to announce that Rabbi Dean will be continuing as our rabbi until the summer of 2025. The Rabbi Search Committee will therefore spend the next few months discussing the survey you all filled out and start submitting announcements later this year. The Board now plans to have a new rabbi selected by the spring of 2025, just before Rabbi Dean’s retirement. We will provide more updates in the coming weeks.
This is also the time of year to start thinking about the next few major holidays, especially Purim and Passover. We will also be hosting a special Shabbat Service for the new members of our community on Friday, February 16. We encourage all of our new families to attend and be honored as the future of our congregation. You can also help make a difference by volunteering to help with the upcoming Purim Carnival, which will take place on March 24. We will send out sign-up sheets shortly. Assisting with these events allows us to connect with the community, perform a mitzvah, and make the Temple Beth Hillel experience even better. And for those who wish to make a difference in our community, we highly encourage you to consider joining the Temple Beth Hillel Board of Directors next year. Our Board is always on the lookout for members who have ideas for the future of the temple and the ability to carry out that vision. Serving on the Board makes us appreciate how much Temple Beth Hillel means to us and our children.
We also have the exciting news that one of our B’nai Mitzvah students, Scarlet, will be having her Bat Mitzvah this month on February 24. It will be a special afternoon service, starting at 3:30 p.m., and we encourage our congregation to come show their support for our newest B’nai Mitzvah. Further details will be sent out shortly.
Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place on Friday, February 16, at 7:30 p.m., welcoming all our new families. Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom, and the next Adult Education class will be hosted by Rabbi Dean on Sunday, February 18. And of course, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services at Religious School each Sunday at 9:30 a.m. Thank you everyone!
If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
If I am not for others, what am I?
And if not now, when? -Rabbi Hillel
~ Anna B Stein and David Zimring, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel