Sharon

Fall '24/Winter '25

A Message from the President

Dear Fellow Congregants,

It was my great pleasure to share the High Holy Days with those of you who were at the temple with us and those of you who watched online. For those who were not with us during all of our Yom Kippur service, I’m asking that you read my message below – the message I delivered during our Appeal – with just a few edits to account for this being in print and not spoken the day of.

“As the current President of Temple Beth El, I am here on the bimah this morning, as I have been for most of our High Holy Day services. 

This morning is different, however, because each of our bimah guests has been President before me. Cliches become cliches because they are actually true so often, so to use a couple of cliches now, it is on our former Presidents’ shoulders that I stand and it is their shoes I attempt to fill.

And I admit, it makes me nervous to face all of you and to have you – and them too, I imagine – waiting to see how well I deliver this speech.

Each of us, as President, has had challenges to deal with – hurricanes, covid, an aging building, changes in clergy and staff, membership – some unique to our time as President and some common to all of us. And in one way or another, every one of these challenges involves money and our financial stability. But we’ll get back to that in a little while.

I’ve written and I’ve spoken about what Temple Beth El has meant to me and to my family in the nearly 23 years I’ve been a member. I’ve shared my feelings about the welcoming home I found and this extended family that means so much to me. I can tell you the wonderful joy I felt here when my son became a Bar Mitzvah, and a few years later, when he was confirmed. I can tell you the comfort I received when we buried my grandparents, and my parents, and my in-laws, and just last November when we buried my wonderful and beloved husband of 42 years.

I am inviting you now to think for a moment or two about what Temple Beth El means to you. A place where you come in times of joy? A place where you come in times of sorrow? Of grief?

Our temple is more than just a building; it is more than just a place of worship. It is a home where we celebrate life’s milestones, support each other in times of need, and grow together in faith and in understanding. This is a sanctuary where we can hold each other when the world around us is a hard place to bear.

We have created a welcoming space for anyone interested in Jewish life, whether we are just starting our journey or deepening a lifelong connection. Where we can feel we belong. Where we can find comfort, guidance, and friendship. And no one is ever turned away because of their financial circumstances. Everyone is wanted here.

We have a wonderful preschool, for which we have Director Donna Anton, Barbara Schultz, and teachers who are second to none, to thank, as well as the parents who give all that they can of themselves because they know the value of what they and their children receive on a daily basis.

We have a religious school (our JLC) with Director Barbara Segal and our very special teachers, all of whom recognize the importance of giving our kids the best Jewish education they can provide in a way that makes the kids want to be here, and again, parents who know the value of being a part of Temple Beth El.

We have a growing Adult Education program, Sisterhood and Brotherhood, Women’s Spirituality Group, fabulous musical services and programs, our Rabbi Emeritus, Allan Tuffs, who still holds us all in his heart, and last, but absolutely not least, our wonderful Rabbi Aaron and incredible Cantor Manny. We are blessed to have them all

And we are not only a good temple community, but we are also good members of our greater community – both Jewish and secular. We are good neighbors.

We contribute to JAFCO, to Jewish Family Services and Federation, and Israel, of course, as well as to local schools and homeless shelters. We have hosted programs on hate, on diversity, and have “broken bread” with members of other faiths here in Hollywood. 
 

With invaluable leadership from our Executive Director, Jeff Jacob, and the participation of our wonderful member volunteers, we join in Hollywood’s Annual Pride Festival and South Florida’s Annual Folk and Acoustic Music Festival. We have made new friends and gained new members in the two years we’ve gone to these events.
 

But despite the studies that show an uptick since October 7th a year ago, in involvement in Jewish organizations, we see the continuing rise in anti-Semitism, and synagogues closing or merging with others – not through choice but through necessity – in order to continue to exist. 
 

Thankfully, that isn’t us. I can tell you here, we are ok, but for how long? 
 

And this is where we get back to money and our financial stability.

In the last year, we completed the installation of a new roof – properly and good to last a long time. We repaired and replaced our AC systems, as well as much of our old and deteriorating plumbing. Most of this we’ve been able to pay for, but we’ll be paying off the roof for another couple of years, and we can count on there being more work needed in the not-so-distant future. 
 

We are so grateful for your membership and dues. And we appreciate those of you who are not members, but have purchased tickets and chosen to be with us for these High Holy Day services. Unfortunately, dues and ticket purchases alone do not cover our expenses. This is not uncommon for any nonprofit, and certainly not for synagogues. 
 

So that is the purpose of our Annual Appeal. It helps to bridge the budgetary gap. 
 

Today, I am asking you to invest in our temple community. I am asking you to consider the impact your contributions can make. By contributing to our Annual Appeal, you help us maintain our beautiful building, support our dedicated staff, and offer programs that enrich our lives and the lives of those around us. 
 

I am inviting you again to think about what Temple Beth El means to you. By contributing to our Annual Appeal, you are investing in the future of our temple community – a future filled with promise for generations to come – L’Dor V’Dor.

No matter how big or how small, every donation counts. And what I would love to see, what I hope for, is all of us giving whatever we can.
 

You can donate on our website by looking for the word GIVE in the upper right of any page and clicking there. Or go to our Facebook page and click on the word DONATE, also in the upper right. 
 

If you would like to go the more traditional way, you can do that too. You can bring or send a check to the temple, or you can call the office to make your donation.
 

I believe that you will give what you can, that you will be as generous as you can be. If you prefer to make any special arrangements for your pledge, to discuss your donation with Jeff, you can do that too.  
 

Thank you in advance for your generosity and for your commitment to OUR Temple Beth El.
 

I wish you all a sweet and happy new year.”

Sha :)

Spring 2024

How exciting for us to be venturing into a change in the way we communicate – going to our temple website to share our thoughts…Rabbi and Cantor, Preschool and Jewish Learning Center/Youth, Executive Director and President…the columns we hope you’ve read in Connections. And what a perfect time to do it!

Spring and summer are the seasons in which we think of new things happening. The school year is ending, but the new year (whether it will be kindergarten, middle school, high school, or college) is what will quickly be all we can think about. If we garden, it will be less about what we planted, but instead what is now growing (even grass grows faster in summer).

This is a very exciting time for me too. This year, even more than usual, though I’ve always loved spring and summer. As I write this, I am awaiting the surgery that I will have in a couple of weeks in which I’ll be getting new hips! Though not the usual topic any of us would be writing about, I feel compelled. Serving as President of Temple Beth El of Hollywood is such an honor and a privilege for me, but for a while my old hips have prevented me from doing all I wanted to do, both as President and as a member. I can’t imagine a better time to have my surgery than right now when all I can think about is what will be new, and growing, and happening. With my new hips, I will be fully able to join in again in all the wonderful and exciting things our temple offers. At every age, at every time in life, our temple can be where we want to be. I know it is for me, and because I’m missing so much until I have my new hips, I’m feeling appreciation for it even more.

I look forward to being back, and with so many opportunities to do so, I hope you will come join us and I’ll be seeing you soon. 

L’Shalom,

Sha :)