Dear Friends,

I have a fondness for what most people call useless knowledge. Random facts, esoterica, trivia, I love it all. But I often quip that it is only useless, until you find a way to use it. Part of what attracted me to the rabbinate was that I might be able to employ some of that knowledge, professionally. In a way that I never could as an attorney, I can pepper a sermon with strange stories, use information from far afield to teach a class, and generally rely on my experiences and wisdom, in a host of situations.

But nothing prepared me for the marshaling of resources that have happened during our quarantine. All of the time I spent making short movies and playing around with cameras, has suddenly become an asset. For Mike in the office and Rabbi Sara as well, we are finding that our skill sets are on display like never before, and that we are also working in areas that were not included in any of our training. We are very excited for the streaming services from our sanctuary and hope to continue them once we return to the building and in-person services. We hope that they continue to allow as many people as possible to participate in services, wherever they are.

Of course, we are still novices, so please bear with us as we learn to master our new technologies and processes. We hope to deliver a professional, engaging, and meaningful High Holy Day experience. And while the technology and format behind it has changed, the spirit of the Days of Repentance has not changed. Hopefully, between our efforts and your participation (and patience) what’s new, will help us connect with what’s old.

L’shalom,
Rabbi Benjamin Zober