Rabbi David Wilfond’s Message – Friday, April 28, 2023
April 27, 2023A Message from our Rabbinic Intern May 2023
May 10, 2023| Dear Friends, A few months before the invasion of Ukraine, congregant Harvey Doppelt and I travelled to the Ukrainian Mission at the UN to lead the Babi Yar yahrzeit ceremony. There we met Ambassador Kyslytsa who impressed us with his deep compassion and empathy for the Jewish people. When he told us, he had never been to a synagogue in America we warmly invited him to Shaaray. The Ambassador promised he would come. A few months later, the largest war in Europe since the Nazi era was unleashed upon the people of Ukraine. Needless to say, the Ambassador has been busy protecting the lives of his people. During all this time, the Ambassador never forgot his promise to visit our synagogue. Now, a little over a year later, we are honored to host Ambassador Kyslytsa for a historic event. Ukrainians and Jews have a long history and common values about the sanctity of human life and standing up against tyrants. Come to the Temple on Friday, May 19th to hear first-hand from the Ambassador about the war and how you can make a difference and save lives. Father Angelov and members of St. Michael’s Ukrainian Church will attend. Local Ukrainian Refugees and leaders of RESET from our congregation who helped them to resettle in Westchester will also be present. This promises to be one of the most important events at the Temple this year. Please RSVP on the link provided for May 19th. (continues here.) Tonight’s Service, May 5th, will include graduates of our Temple’s 2023 Lech Lecha Leadership Program. Through Lech Lecha, future leaders are trained to advance the vision and mission of our congregation. We wish all the graduates mazel tov! In the spirit of congregational inclusion and transparency, hallmarks of a healthy community, we will hold our Annual Meeting on May 31st. It is a mitzvah to express your hopes for your congregation. Please mark your calendar and save the date to participate in our Annual Meeting. Shabbat Shalom, Rabbi David Wilfond |
