Betsy Frank is UHC para-rabbinic fellow and president.
At 11:30 a.m. Sunday, May 21st, the congregation will hold its annual meeting. Aside from the refreshments that will be served, why should you attend?
Our by-laws prescribe the annual meeting for a very important reason: This once-a-year opportunity affords us a time to come together and reflect on the past year’s accomplishments and determine the congregation’s direction for the coming year.
In a few days, we will be celebrating the holiday that more Jews celebrate than any other. Of course, that holiday is Passover.
Passover commemorates our redemption from slavery in Egypt. However, we aren’t celebrating just an event long ago. We are re-telling the story of the Exodus as if it was our own experience, today.
Unfortunately, the recent election failed to heal our country’s divisiveness. We are constantly bombarded with opposing viewpoints, anger and hostility from opposite ends of the political spectrum. How as a congregation should we respond to “hot button” social issues? At a recent Temple board meeting, the members grappled with taking a stand on the issue of immigration.
One of the joys of cruising is meeting people from all over, including Jews from across the United States and around the world. We have met Jews from Texas, Connecticut, Ohio, Canada, England and Argentina. And yes, we have celebrated Shabbat with some of those we have met.