Summertime Shabbat at Shaaray

Dear Friends,
George Gershwin, the great composer, grew up in Brooklyn in a Jewish family. His name, at his Bar Mitzvah, was Jacob Gershowitz. Later, to sell more records, he changed it to Gershwin. He wanted a win. He wrote “Porgy and Bess,” in 1935. Initially it was a commercial failure. Today, almost 90 years later, it is an American cultural classic. The hit song “Summertime” is a winner and the most re-recorded blues song in America.

Recently, a Reform Rabbi in Northern Westchester had a dream inspired by the song, “Summertime.”In his dream happy members of Temple Shaaray Tefila were enjoying “Shabbes unter der shteren,” (Shabbat Under the Stars.) Kenny Green in his Dylan-like voice led the community in a new and improved version of Summertime. It went like this…

“Summertime and shabbes is comingWe got cold beer and we got good wine.Come see your friends and enjoy good singingCome to Shaaray for Summer Shabbat.”

This summer is a dream come true. Covid is in retreat. Time to celebrate. Time to live life. Come home. Welcome back to Temple Shaaray Tefila. We missed you. The cure for Covid is Summer Shabbat. Starting after July 4th, Shabbat will feature a big BBQ. Save the date – July 9th. All Summer long we will have Summer Shabbat fun. We will eat together, sing together and reconnect with old friends and hopefully make new friends too.

If you have not yet been back to the Temple, please consider this your personal invitation. Don’t miss out. Come meet the new rabbi at the friendliest and most beautiful Temple in Westchester. Shabbat Shalom “It’s Summertime!”

Rabbi David Wilfond