11 Elul - Rabbi Allen Freehling, Emeritus
EXPRESSIONS OF GRATITUDE ARE MOST APPROPRIATE As we prepare for our forthcoming Season of Holy Days, I believe that it’s most appropriate for all of us to convey our own personal expressions of gratitude to each member of our Synagogue Family’s clergy, professional staff and our cohort of volunteer leaders, who have joined together during the last many months to creatively confront all of the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed in their way.
Fully aware of the spiritual, cultural, educational and social needs of every congregant - young and old alike - this corps of men and women has been tirelessly doing everything possible to never allow the pandemic to get in their way to launch one effort after another to rely on the Internet to flood our members’ homes with unique worship services, a myriad of learning opportunities and supportive endeavors intended to provide emotional and intellectual sustenance for our entire constituency while gathering in our building is impossible because of ongoing health risks.
In return, I believe that each person, who has been, is and will be engaged in this enterprise, deserves to be acknowledged with an outpouring of thanks generated by every congregant whose needs are continually addressed during this challenging time in all our lives.
They have been doing God’s work over and over again!
12 Elul - Ellie Laycook, Religious School Director
Shine your light! When you shine your unique light and truth of your soul, it illuminates all of us.
Where are you? Why are you here right now? What are you looking for? What do you need to support you? What do you want for the world?
13 Elul - Fern Topas Salka, Co-President
“Life is a tragedy full of joy.”--Bernard Malamud
Because I am the child of Holocaust survivors, people assume that there was not much joy in my house. Nothing could be further from the truth. We laughed a lot and we played a lot. My parents understood that the very act of survival was a victory and life was to be celebrated. We celebrated everything, from big to small. If I got a good grade on a test, my mother would put a piece of cheese on top of a cracker, raise a toast with some seltzer water, and say “Let’s celebrate.” I think of this often these days. How can we find joy in the midst of so much uncertainty, pain and trouble? How can we celebrate when hope is hard to sustain?
It is the Jewish way not just to hope but to actively encourage positivity by expressing gratitude for even the smallest of blessings. The first prayer a Jew is expected to recite upon waking expresses his or her gratitude just for being alive. We must individually and collectively count our many blessings and joy will follow.
14 Elul - April Schafer, Director of Early Childhood
Reflection helps us set our intentions for the upcoming year. The laughter and smiling eyes of children has and always will be my inspiration with early childhood education as my passion (and fortunately for me, also my profession!). However, I have realized that my motivation is a hug from my parents, snuggling my best friend’s baby, having lunch with my sister, going to a baseball game and having an all school, in person event! I will keep doing my part to make sure my future includes all of these. How are you motivating yourself to do your part? Let’s work together to get to the other side.
15 Elul - Cantor Jay I. Frailich, D.M., Emeritus
Elul is the Hebrew month immediately before the High Holy Days. Our tradition says that this is a time to conduct a cheshbon hanefesh – an accounting of the soul. What have we done during this past year that serves God, ourselves, and humanity? Have we studied Torah, observed mitzvot, prayed, or performed acts of loving-kindness? If we find ourselves short on any of these, let this coming new year be a time to turn our thoughts and behavior to improving our spiritual accounting for the benefit of God, us and all humanity.
For more Elul with US follow our social media posts @UniSynagogue on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can revisit services and previous Zoom programs on our YouTube playlists as well.
