As I look forward to next year, I'd like to share with you what I consider the biggest challenge now facing us. While social events (and well attended social events) are a great positive for any congregation, the more immediate need is coverage of and gatherings for our religious events.
I would suggest that Betenu's paradigm of success is our Tu Be-She-vat seder. In the grand scheme of Judaism, the Tu Be-She-vat seder is a very minor event, yet at Betenu, it has outdrawn our Passover seder in some years!! There is one key feature to the success of this event and that has been the constant commitment of Barbara Bailey, and in more recent years Elaine Schwartz, to making sure everything happens in a timely fashion.
With people so busy these days, a commitment to an ongoing week-to-week or month-to-month event, might be too much for some. But I believe that the key to successful celebrations of our holidays is to have one person or family say, "I/we will be in charge of XXX for the next Y years."
XXX could be:
So if you want to really make a difference at Betenu with a one-shot commitment over the course of a year, talk to me or the board and tell us, ""I/we will be in charge of XXX for the next Y years."
By the time July and August arrive, most of our energies are focussed on the High Holydays and the Sukkah is at best an afterthought. How about it? Email me or the president (rabbi@betenu.org or president@betenu.org) and tell us, "I/we will be in charge of Sukkah for this year (or more)."
Joshua L. Segal
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