And happy summer! This past Thursday we celebrated the beginning of the new season with the summer solstice. On this wonderful day we experienced the longest day of the year, with the sun not fully setting until after 9:00 p.m.! Even after a long day at work, we can come home and still enjoy time outside, which hopefully everyone was able to do. Yet sadly, the solstice also marks the time of year when the days start to get shorter again. We likely will not notice it for a while but nature is already preparing us for the time in September when the nights will once again be longer than the days. This constant cycle of increasing and then decreasing daylight reminds us to not take our opportunities and advantages for granted. We are blessed with so much in our lives and we should appreciate and utilize all that we have before the next turn of the seasons occurs.
And as summer begins in earnest, the Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year. We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this year, with interviews scheduled for the fall and winter. 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 start to hear from our candidates.
Also, next month Temple Beth Hillel will be hosting a booth at the El Cerrito 4th of July festival on Thursday, July 4. Larry has a sign up sheet for those who would like to volunteer their time to help spread the word about our congregation. Please email me or Larry if you would like to help out. It is always a wonderful time to contribute our efforts to promote TBH and get to know more people in the community. One week later TBH will be hosting an Adult Field Trip at John Hinkel Park in Berkeley on Saturday, July 13 to see the Actor’s Ensemble play Much Ado About Nothing. Anyone who is interested can RSVP with Jane Kemp. Everyone will meet at the TBH parking lot at 2:00 p.m. and carpool to the event. And please mark your calendars for Sunday, August 4, when the Oakland A’s will be hosting their final Jewish Heritage Night (and playing the Dodgers, which is a great bonus!). Please email Larry or Brandy to reserve your tickets. The cost is $36/ticket.
Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place next Friday, July 5, at 7:30 p.m. Family shabbats have completed for the year but will resume in September. Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, although Religious School is completed for the year, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services once the kids come back for their classes in August. 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 and David, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel
From the Presidents – June 28, 2024
June 24, 2024 by tbhrich • president
Hello Everyone!
And happy summer! This past Thursday we celebrated the beginning of the new season with the summer solstice. On this wonderful day we experienced the longest day of the year, with the sun not fully setting until after 9:00 p.m.! Even after a long day at work, we can come home and still enjoy time outside, which hopefully everyone was able to do. Yet sadly, the solstice also marks the time of year when the days start to get shorter again. We likely will not notice it for a while but nature is already preparing us for the time in September when the nights will once again be longer than the days. This constant cycle of increasing and then decreasing daylight reminds us to not take our opportunities and advantages for granted. We are blessed with so much in our lives and we should appreciate and utilize all that we have before the next turn of the seasons occurs.
And as summer begins in earnest, the Rabbi Search Committee continues in its efforts to search for a new rabbi for next year. We will start submitting announcements and accepting job applications later this year, with interviews scheduled for the fall and winter. 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 start to hear from our candidates.
Also, next month Temple Beth Hillel will be hosting a booth at the El Cerrito 4th of July festival on Thursday, July 4. Larry has a sign up sheet for those who would like to volunteer their time to help spread the word about our congregation. Please email me or Larry if you would like to help out. It is always a wonderful time to contribute our efforts to promote TBH and get to know more people in the community. One week later TBH will be hosting an Adult Field Trip at John Hinkel Park in Berkeley on Saturday, July 13 to see the Actor’s Ensemble play Much Ado About Nothing. Anyone who is interested can RSVP with Jane Kemp. Everyone will meet at the TBH parking lot at 2:00 p.m. and carpool to the event. And please mark your calendars for Sunday, August 4, when the Oakland A’s will be hosting their final Jewish Heritage Night (and playing the Dodgers, which is a great bonus!). Please email Larry or Brandy to reserve your tickets. The cost is $36/ticket.
Finally, our next regular Shabbat Service will take place next Friday, July 5, at 7:30 p.m. Family shabbats have completed for the year but will resume in September. Torah Study will take place Saturdays at 10:15 a.m. on Zoom. And of course, although Religious School is completed for the year, we encourage everyone to come to our wonderful Tefillah services once the kids come back for their classes in August. 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 and David, Co-Presidents, Temple Beth Hillel