America’s Founding Fathers believed in freedom of religion for all people. Do you know how rare that is around the world?  Check out the Religious Freedom website, located at the University of Virginia, to see where we really are in this world.  It has a clickable, alphabetical database of all the nations of the world and what religions occupy each.  It’s truly amazing: http://religiousfreedom.lib.virginia.edu/nationprofiles/ .

Freedom is a theme found throughout the Torah and is talked about, especially on Passover.  People who were once slaves should never take freedom for granted.

I, for one, plan to attend Shabbat Evening Services at the Temple, to honor our Military, and again on Saturday morning, to start my celebration of freedom in an American Jewish way.

Happy 4th!

Geri Gregory
Member Services Coordinator

There’s nothing like Shabbat Morning Worship.  Starting Shabbat morning this way makes your Saturday totally different.  Instead of running errands, getting work done, or other mundane chores, including sleeping late, attending Shabbat Morning Worship is truly a peaceful, energizing, serene experience.  Every time I go, I tell myself I will come on Saturday mornings more often.

I will challenge myself to come as often as possible on Saturday mornings, and I will start talking about it so that others will consider it, also.  Won’t YOU come experience a Saturday Morning Worship Service at Temple Beth-El?  You won’t regret it.

Geri Gregory
Member Services Coordinator

People join Temple Beth-El for many different reasons – to support Judaism, to foster connections with other Jews, to be with family, to find oneself spiritually, to give children a Jewish education, you name it.  There are about as many reasons why people join the Temple as there are members.

I ask myself all the time, “How can I, as Member Services Coordinator, serve such a diverse group of people? My answer always has something to do with connection.  People want connections.  Sometimes the connections come with other members on a Friday night, sometimes through those we serve in Social Action projects, and sometimes when you least expect it, via email!

Lately, I’ve been concentrating on fostering connections by asking members to usher and greet at Shabbat Eve Services.  Not only is this a mitzvah to perform for one’s congregation, it is also fun, and uplifting, as smiling and saying “Shabbat Shalom” or “Good Shabbos” would put anyone in a great mood!  I’ve asked new members, Board members, longtime members, families, singles, and couples, and all who have responded and served have asked to do it again!

If I haven’t asked you yet, I probably will, so be prepared!  You could beat me to the punch, however, and send me an email (geri@beth-elsa.org) with the dates you are able to usher and greet, and I will happily schedule you.  You’ll be glad you did!

Geri Gregory
Member Services Coordinator

The Task Force continues its efforts by making sure the Temple uses electricity prudently – City Public Service inspected the building and made a few recommendations, which were immediately acted upon.  For one thing, the Temple does not hold meetings or classes on Mondays or Thursdays anymore, in order to turn off the air conditioning and lights. 

The Task Force has recommended the use of glass or ceramic dishes whenever possible, to prevent adding plastic or styrofoam to our already overloaded landfills.

Leslie Selig Byrd, our immediate past president, made sure aluminum cans have been recycled for the past two years, and now we have added paper.

Now that I have my paper recycling bin, I can look at it and be reminded daily of the concept of tikkun olam – repairing the world.  It makes me feel good that Temple Beth-El strives toward this concept in a more positive way each day.

Geri Gregory
Member Services Coordinator

Rabbi Alan Berlin sent me a link to Rabbi Hayim Herring’s blog, called “Tools for Shuls,” and it got me fired up to actually begin our blog.  I’ve been talking about it for ages, and there’s no time like the present! 

I can remember when the Temple had no computers at all, and I addressed the Temple Bulletin using an Addressograph machine and metal plates for each family.  At that time, in 1984, that Addressograph machine WAS technology – can you imagine?  That was only 25 years ago, and we thought we were on the cutting edge of hi-tech office equipment.

If you think about it, the Torah itself is technology!  What came before Torah?  It was oral tradition and stories, handed down through generations.  When Torah came along, Judaism was able to be spread further and wider than ever before.  Granted, not everyone could use the new technology, in that not everyone could read.  Rabbi Bergman Vann told us last week in the Adult Confirmation class that Torah was read and/or chanted for the multitudes in the markets on Mondays and Thursdays, and that’s why the Torah is read 3 times a week to this day – Mondays, Thursday, and Shabbat.

But I digress – sorry.  Back to technology.  As technology changes, and it changes more rapidly now than ever before, Temple Beth-El, as an organization, needs to find new ways, and new technologies in order to keep up an ongoing dialogue with congregants.  This blog, with its humble beginning, will hopefully accomplish that over time.

I’m looking forward to our ongoing dialogue!

Geri Gregory
Member Services Coordinator