And so another successful Purim has come and gone. Again, we wanted to thank all of our congregants who helped make our Purim carnival such a fun time this year. It also just so happens that once again the secular calendar reinforced the message of a Jewish holiday. This year Purim happened to occur close to April 1, which is traditionally observed as April Fool’s Day in American culture. On that day pranks are encouraged and nothing is supposed to be as it seems. Mischievous incidents can range from claiming it is a sunny day when it is actually raining; using a trick candle for a birthday; or even reading in a sports magazine about a pitcher who can throw a fastball 150 miles per hour when no such player exists. The essence of this day corresponds well with Purim, which also has the tradition of the unseen being seen and the seen being unseen, where everything is turned topsy turvy. Although the tradition of April Fools Day is largely pagan and Christian in origin, the practical aspects still carry overtones of the holiday of Purim. Just goes to show that, even subtly, so much of American popular culture can carry Jewish messages to the masses.
In other news, the Rabbi Search Committee continues to meet about our search for a new rabbi for next year. We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this summer, with interviews scheduled for the fall. 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 as we get closer to summer..
And now that Purim has passed us by, we will be looking ahead to our next major holiday of Passover. This year, we will be holding our annual Passover Seder on Saturday, April 27. Invitations have been sent out so please secure your spot early. We also need volunteers for that week to help with set-up, clean-up, and other necessities to make the seder a success. Please contact Anna Stein or Jane Kemp if you would like to volunteer. 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.
Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place this Friday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. Family Shabbat will occur two weeks later on April 19 at 6:15 p.m. and all families are welcome to join our Passover themed activities. 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 April 7 at 10:30 a.m.. 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: April 4, 2024
April 4, 2024 by tbhrich • president
Hello Everyone!
And so another successful Purim has come and gone. Again, we wanted to thank all of our congregants who helped make our Purim carnival such a fun time this year. It also just so happens that once again the secular calendar reinforced the message of a Jewish holiday. This year Purim happened to occur close to April 1, which is traditionally observed as April Fool’s Day in American culture. On that day pranks are encouraged and nothing is supposed to be as it seems. Mischievous incidents can range from claiming it is a sunny day when it is actually raining; using a trick candle for a birthday; or even reading in a sports magazine about a pitcher who can throw a fastball 150 miles per hour when no such player exists. The essence of this day corresponds well with Purim, which also has the tradition of the unseen being seen and the seen being unseen, where everything is turned topsy turvy. Although the tradition of April Fools Day is largely pagan and Christian in origin, the practical aspects still carry overtones of the holiday of Purim. Just goes to show that, even subtly, so much of American popular culture can carry Jewish messages to the masses.
In other news, the Rabbi Search Committee continues to meet about our search for a new rabbi for next year. We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this summer, with interviews scheduled for the fall. 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 as we get closer to summer..
And now that Purim has passed us by, we will be looking ahead to our next major holiday of Passover. This year, we will be holding our annual Passover Seder on Saturday, April 27. Invitations have been sent out so please secure your spot early. We also need volunteers for that week to help with set-up, clean-up, and other necessities to make the seder a success. Please contact Anna Stein or Jane Kemp if you would like to volunteer. 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.
Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place this Friday, April 5, at 7:30 p.m. Family Shabbat will occur two weeks later on April 19 at 6:15 p.m. and all families are welcome to join our Passover themed activities. 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 April 7 at 10:30 a.m.. 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