Dear Friends, This week we thanked Sharon Feldman for her hours of voluntary service as the President of our congregation. The Hebrew word for President, Nasi, comes from this week’s Torah portion, Naso. The word Naso means to lift-up, and the task of a president is to lift-up others. The Jewish concept of leadership is not to head-up but to lift-up. This is why in Judaism humans never wear a crown. It is the Torah that wears the crown. The spiritual teachings of Torah provide leadership in creating sacred community. Continues… Tonight, we celebrate Torah as we observe the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, the birthday of Torah. Jewish tradition likens Torah to a mother’s milk. Just like milk is the perfect food for a newborn, so too Torah is the perfect nourishment for Jewish life. On Shavuot it is a custom to eat dairy foods like cheesecake and blintzes. Personally, my favorite dairy food is ice cream. Recently, I noticed another crown in our area, the crown worn by King Kone. If we have not recently enjoyed an in-person meeting, might I invite you to join me at King Kone for a Shavuot ice cream and a schmooze. Please email or phone me at the Temple to set up a personal time to meet, and let me treat you to an ice cream in celebration of Shavuot and the sweetness of Torah. I want to remind you next week is our Annual Meeting. This is your chance to make sure your voice is heard about our congregation’s future. Your participation is critical to achieve a quorum. Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom and Hag Shavuot Sameach, Happy Shavuot, Rabbi David Wilfond |