Dear Friends,

Judaism is less about believing and more about belonging. It is less about what we owe God and more about what we owe each other, because we believe God cares more about how we treat each other than He does about our theology. —Harold S. Kushner, To Life!

These are the times when we look to each other even more strongly to help us weather the storms. Many of us have been affected by the loss of jobs, and investment downturns and on top of this, we have our everyday worries and for some, those involve serious illness.

Temple Emanu-El is your congregational family.

We are your community and please know that we are ready to help if you are in crisis. We have resources to which we can refer you.

When you talk to any member of our clergy or me, please know that we will maintain the strictest of confidence.

One of the signature prayers of Rosh Hashanah, Unetaneh Tokef, teaches us much about the fragility of life. It asks: Who will be raised up and who will be brought down low? We never know from year to year whether we will be the ones in need of help, in need of support and community, or if we will be blessed with the ability to help others.

But we do know that as a community, we must be here for each other. Torah teaches us that we have access to performing the entire array of mitzvot. As Reform Jews we have the ability and the responsibility to choose which mitzvot bring meaning and purpose to our lives today.

If you find yourself in a particularly challenging financial situation, we will work with you to ensure your continued membership/partnership with your synagogue community; no one has ever been turned away for financial reasons. (If you know of a family who left for financial reasons, please urge them to speak with one of us.)

And if you need the support of Temple Emanu-El, please know that you can lean on your Temple community.

How blessed we are that our community nurtures each other to make difficult times easier and happier times sweeter.

May the door to this synagogue be wide enough to receive all who hunger for love, all who are lonely for fellowship. May it welcome all who have cares to unburden, thanks to express, hopes to nurture. May the door of this synagogue be narrow enough to shut out pettiness and pride, envy and enmity. May its threshold be no stumbling block to young or straying feet. May it be too high to admit complacency, selfishness and harshness. May this synagogue be, for all who enter, the doorway to a richer and more meaningful life.

--The Siddur for Reform Jewish Prayer

Sandy Wilson
President, Board of Trustees