President’s Message

I recently received an email from fellow congregant Bob Korfin with this message: “I’m sorry I didn’t answer your text messages. It’s been a Jewish holiday for the past month.”

I laughed when I read this, because it’s really true: The entire month of October had one holiday—if not two—each week, making for short work weeks for RST members but lots of work for those responsible for making sure that all of our services, from Erev Rosh Hashanah to the last Torah procession on Simchat Torah, went smoothly. Sometimes answering text messages went to the bottom of the “To Do” list!

On behalf of the congregation, I thank Rabbi Eligberg for the thought and planning that went into all of our holiday celebrations, including his inspiring sermons and work with Cantor Ozur-Bass, who joined us for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Tess Goldblatt and our religious school teachers and guest facilitators brought understanding to our students over all of the holidays, while Donald Goddard made sure that the building was prepared, and Evelyn and Richard Mason prepared lunches, a congregational dinner, and a break-fast meal that were delicious. Overseeing all of this was our administrator, Radie Maye, ably assisted by Robin Levy.

But without our congregational volunteers, it would have been difficult to even have services. Steve Meyerson, chair of the Ritual Committee, and Roy Lasris worked on High Holy Day honors, the sound system, Zoom connections, and the details of having the Torahs rolled to the correct places, plus arranging the Torah readings. Mike Stupar headed up our usher/greeter corps, which made sure that we were safe and secure while being welcoming to all.

In truth, every fall we have Jewish holidays every week for a month: It’s just that, this year, they all came in one secular calendar month rather than spread over two of them. Even my non-Jewish friends noticed and asked me if this was special. I told them it’s always this way: September/October is very hectic, and we all work very hard over the 4 weeks of holidays. We may breathe a huge sigh of relief when the month is over, but it is a time of year that brings meaning to our lives and satisfaction that we’ve started a new Jewish year in the best possible way.

B’Shalom,

Martha B. Katz-Hyman

President