president

Next week we celebrate Pesach. Although we determined that meeting together in person would not be safe, we will meet online for our community seder. This presents an interesting opportunity for Mercedes and me. We will be visiting our granddaughter and her parents in Oregon, but will also be able to attend our community seder. It will be our granddaughter’s first seder and we will be able to be with her, her parents (our son and daughter in law), and our TBH community.
There are silver linings to the pandemic mostly in the lessons we have learned. I think we appreciate each other more. To quote Joni Mitchell, “Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you got ’til it’s gone.” Gathering together and praying together has become far more precious. And, we have been forced to learn and adopt technology that makes our events multi-access. Members of our community who in the past would not have been able to participate can join us remotely.
That said, being together remotely is no substitute for being together in person. Next week we will say, next year in Jerusalem. Let’s add, next year in our sanctuary for our community seder.

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
~ Michael R Cohen, President, Temple Beth Hillel

Every Shabbat, Rabbi Dean asks us to reflect on what we are grateful for and because this Thursday marked another trip around the sun for me I want to share a little of my gratitude.

First, after a long two years of Covid isolation we have been able to meet in person to celebrate Purim and to pray together for Shabbat services. 

Second, I am pleased to see the installation of our new HVAC system begin.  Soon, we will be warm in winter and cool in summer. 

Third, after the long hiatus I was able to direct a play and I am grateful that the play was appreciated by audiences and critics.  

Fourth, I am grateful to be part of our TBH community.  The last two years have been a challenge, but we have stayed together and supported each other.  

Finally, I am grateful for my family and friends, especially our granddaughter Zoe, and of course my wonderful wife Mercedes.

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

~ Michael R Cohen, President, Temple Beth Hillel

In what may be blatant self promotion, last week I wrote about the play I am directing.  This week I am continuing to promote the play, but also adding my director’s notes from the program to describe the issues explored in the play that I find relevant to our TBH community.  I hope that you can come to see it.  

We need to know who we are and where we come from.  The intensity of this need varies with individuals and many other factors, but in most cases at some point we have to face it, embrace it, or reject it.  The characters in this play are Jewish and have the option of assimilating or passing.  Leigh Anglicizes her name and in many ways rejects her heritage, but in the end can she escape it or does she really want to even though history and current events indicate that it can be dangerous to be Jewish?  How much of who we are is shaped by our experiences or even the experiences of those who came before us?  Do the traumatic memories of the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust haunt, not only the survivors, but their children and grandchildren?  How strong are our the ties to the sadness, terror, joys, and pride of our history?  Can we leave the past in the past and live for our present and future?  Are some things best not to remember?

At its heart this play is about how we perceive our parents, grandparents, sons and daughters, and their personal and cultural past, present and future as symbolized by possessions.  How much of the past do we share?  How do we face the future? While Leigh struggles to do what is right for her mother, Esther clings to her possessions. Each item represents a loved one or a cherished or perhaps romanticized time and place. Leigh is acting from love, but does her efforts to remove clutter partner with dementia to rob Esther of her memories?  Without her stuff, her memories,  what remains of her? 

Margy Kahn’s thoughtful and moving play asks us to reflect on our connection to the past, our hopes for the future, and end of life choices.  How do we reconcile our love and hope with the trauma and joys of the past, diminished capacity and mortality?

Here are links to some reviews:

In what may be blatant self promotion, last week I wrote about the play I am directing.  This week I am continuing to promote the play, but also adding my director’s notes from the program to describe the issues explored in the play that I find relevant to our TBH community.  I hope that you can come to see it.  

We need to know who we are and where we come from.  The intensity of this need varies with individuals and many other factors, but in most cases at some point we have to face it, embrace it, or reject it.  The characters in this play are Jewish and have the option of assimilating or passing.  Leigh Anglicizes her name and in many ways rejects her heritage, but in the end can she escape it or does she really want to even though history and current events indicate that it can be dangerous to be Jewish?  How much of who we are is shaped by our experiences or even the experiences of those who came before us?  Do the traumatic memories of the unimaginable horrors of the Holocaust haunt, not only the survivors, but their children and grandchildren?  How strong are our the ties to the sadness, terror, joys, and pride of our history?  Can we leave the past in the past and live for our present and future?  Are some things best not to remember?

At its heart this play is about how we perceive our parents, grandparents, sons and daughters, and their personal and cultural past, present and future as symbolized by possessions.  How much of the past do we share?  How do we face the future? While Leigh struggles to do what is right for her mother, Esther clings to her possessions. Each item represents a loved one or a cherished or perhaps romanticized time and place. Leigh is acting from love, but does her efforts to remove clutter partner with dementia to rob Esther of her memories?  Without her stuff, her memories,  what remains of her? 

Margy Kahn’s thoughtful and moving play asks us to reflect on our connection to the past, our hopes for the future, and end of life choices.  How do we reconcile our love and hope with the trauma and joys of the past, diminished capacity and mortality?

Here are links to some reviews:

Marin IJ

Aisle Seat Review

Tickets are available  here

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

~ Michael R Cohen, President, Temple Beth Hillel

From the President

I will not be with you tonight, Friday, because the play I am directing is opening.  I am really excited by this new play about three Jewish women, a Holocaust survivor from France, her daughter, and her granddaughter.  We run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights with matinees on Sundays until Sunday, April 3.

Tickets are available here.   https://www.tickettailor.com/…/rossvalleyplayers/653718/

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

~ Michael R Cohen, President, Temple Beth Hillel

Rabbi Dean asks us if  “…we sacrifice something of value?”  “Do we bring the best of ourselves?” I am asking you to bring your most valuable asset, your time, to our synagogue.  We are a small and mighty congregation and we need to be mighty.  There are far fewer of us to do the work of our community than for larger congregations and nothing gets done by magic.  It takes contributions of time both great and small for TBH to function. 

We need you.  We need you to do your part.  We need you to join our leadership team.  In three months the terms of our board members and officers end and we need you to join us.  We need your ideas.  We need your knowledge and expertise.  We need your energy.  We need your commitment.  We need you.

I am proud to serve as your president and I am proud of Temple Beth Hillel and all that we do.  From our religious school to our Ritual Committee, our wonderful Rabbi Dean, our Caring Community, Food for Thought, and much more, we have reason to be proud.

However, none of this will continue without hard work and dedication. 

Please consider bringing the gift of your time to our synagogue.  Contact Jane Durango or me (mcohen@tbhrichmond.org) and join our team.

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

~ Michael R Cohen, President, Temple Beth Hillel

Rabbi Dean wrote above about tradition, change, and adaptation.  Although our change fails to compare with the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem, COVID-19 has forced us to adapt in ways we couldn’t imagine a few years ago.  How many of you were familiar with Zoom in early 2019?  I know I wasn’t. Yet, we did adapt and I dare say thrive while holding our community together in challenging times. 

As we, God willing, slowly and cautiously emerge from the pandemic we realize that many things will not return to the way they were.  We must adapt to what has been called a “new normal” and not all of it is bad. 

For example, we will continue to hold multi access services.  The technology we adopted during the pandemic will allow those who are sick, who cannot drive or drive at night, or are just tired from the work week to participate in our observances from home or even while traveling.  Masks have long been standard practice in many places for those who are sick and do not want to infect others.  Now that we are accustomed to wearing masks, perhaps that would be a good practice even when the immediate threat has diminished. 

I don’t know exactly what the coming weeks will bring, but I do know that with dedication, persistence, and creativity we will adapt, adjust, and thrive. 

I hope to see you tonight either in person or online.  Shabbat Shalom. 

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

~ Michael R Cohen, President, Temple Beth Hillel

I loved being together to pray last Friday for Erev Shabbat.  Thanks to Jane Durango, Bobbi Nadler, and Mercedes Cohen we even had a small outdoor Oneg with pre-sliced challah and individually portioned treats. Thank you to everyone who attended either in person or online.  I hope you found it as meaningful and joyful as I did.

Now, please complete the survey that Rabbi Dean emailed Wednesday.  We really do want you to share your opinion as part of our cantor selection process.  You are all vital members of our community and your input is both important and valued.

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

~ Michael R Cohen, President, Temple Beth Hillel

Tonight we are gathering for our multi-access Shabbat service featuring Marney Margulies, candidate for cantor.  This marks a significant step on our slow and cautious return to a semblance of what was once normal.

Even though the state mask mandate has been lifted, we choose to continue our mask requirement.  We are a community.  We choose to care about and for each other.  We consider the minor inconvenience of wearing a mask well worth the safety it provides.  We will continue to monitor infection rates and hospitalization rates and adjust our policies as conditions change.

Meanwhile I look forward to seeing you and praying with you tonight.  We are even going to have a modified oneg to enjoy – including Mercedes’ home baked challah.  Join us.

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

~ Michael R Cohen, President, Temple Beth Hillel

We are deeply concerned about the recent attacks on Jewish institutions.  Are we as prepared as we should be?  How would we have reacted to an armed intruder like the one in Colleyville, Texas?  How do we balance our safety with maintaining our identity?  How can we be open and welcoming and safe…or at least safer?  We do not want to make Temple Beth Hillel a fortress.  We must continue to do what we as Jews are commanded to do and make us the, although small, mighty community that we are.  On the other hand, we must do the best we can to keep each other safe. 

So far, as you are reading this, Rabbi Dean, David Brown, several members of our board, and I have attended a Regional Security Training workshop with the Federation, cameras have been installed in our parking lot, we are seeking grant(s) to pay for architectural improvements to help protect us from intruders, and next week Brinks Security will visit our site to explore more cameras and 24/7 monitoring.  

In addition, we will continue to have greeters who will check ID’s for our guests along with the vaccination status of everyone who joins us in our building, and we are planning more training for our leadership, clergy, religious school staff, office administrator, and any other volunteers who are willing to help.

This will be an ongoing process of learning and implementing that I will continue to report on in this message.  Meanwhile, if you have knowledge or expertise in security, have helpful ideas, or just want to help, please contact me (mcohen@tbhrichmond.org). 

 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

~ Michael R Cohen, President, Temple Beth Hillel

As I am writing this on Wednesday afternoon, we are planning to hold hybrid in person and online services Friday night.  The key word is planning.  During this pandemic it takes a leap of faith to plan anything, but without planning nothing happens.  It can be extremely disappointing to plan, and anticipate, and prepare, and then have to cancel an event.  Between TBH, my personal life, and my theater activities, I have experienced a lot of cancellations from plays to birthday parties, to B’nai Mitzvah to funerals, Passover Seders, and more.

And yet we are planning to be together in person and online Friday/tonight.  There are no guarantees.  We may have to change plans at the last minute once again, but if all goes well we will pray together.  Of course we will be as safe as we can be.  Everyone will be masked and vaccinated.  We will monitor federal, state, and local guidelines and adapt as is necessary.

I have experienced the disappointments and frustrations of cancellations.  I am aware of the deadly seriousness of the pandemic.  I know that our neighbor is among the almost 1 million Americans and  almost 6 million people worldwide that have been killed by Covid-19.  I am aware of all that.  And yet, although it can be difficult, I choose to be optimistic.  I choose to believe that this will pass.

I look forward to seeing you at services.

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

~ Michael R Cohen, President, Temple Beth Hillel