President

haHodesh . A Newsletter for Temple Emunah members 9 Piper Road, Lexington, MA 02421-8199 www.TempleEmunah.org Main Office: 781-861-0300 Fax: 781-861-7141

Senior Rabbi David G. Lerner 781-861-0300, ext. 22 dlerner@templeemunah.org Assisstant Rabbi Leora Kling Perkins 781-861-0300, ext. 31 lklingperkins@templeemunah.org Rabbi Emeritus Bernard Eisenman President Mark Bobrow 781-861-1920 president@templeemunah.org Executive Director Raveetal Celine 781-861-0300, ext. 21 rceline@templeemunah.org Director of Me’ir Sherer 781-861-0303, ext. 24 Congregational Learning msherer@templeemunah.org Director, Billy Dalwin Shelley Rossman 781-861-0708, ext. 27 Pre-School srossman@templeemunah.org Accounting Manager Alisa Billings 781-861-0300, ext. 23 abillings@templeemunah.org Chief of Cong. Advancement Hannah Arwe 781-861-0300, ext. 30 & Manager of Pastoral Admin. harwe@templeemunah.org Communication Manager & Efrat Assulin 781-861-0300, ext. 28 Programming Coordinator eassulin@templeemunah.org Synagogue Educator/Young Tova Weinronk 781-861-0300, ext. 34 Family Engagement Coord. tweinronk@templeemunah.org Synagogue Educator Andrew Doxer 781-861-0300, ext. 32 adoxer@templeemunah.org Accounting Assistant Mary Melnick 781-861-0300, ext. 26 adoxer@templeemunah.org Office Administrator Marilyn Pappo 781-861-0300, ext. 20 office@templeemunah.org Office Administrator Ellen Weene 781-861-0300, ext. 29 rabbiadmin@templeemunah.org Bulletin Editor Linda Silverstein lindags@comcast.net

Dedication of an AFMDA ambulance in loving memory of the Levine, Naihersig, Rittenburg and Rossbach families by Janice Rossbach. (Photo credit: Cindy Cutler) As a people, we demonstrate adaptive resilience. We are also compassionate, and individuals are willing to make sacrifices for the benefit of the many. These characteristics enabled us to produce one of the most extraordinary High Holy Day experiences. We will never forget the start of 5781. Our sanctuary was converted into a Zoom production studio. There were few people in person, barely over a minyan, with everyone having a role in the production. It was spacious with both side rooms open, sparse, with attendees distanced, and cold, with the windows open to provide better air circulation. It was not the warm haimish feeling I usually have for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Services were better on Zoom than they were in person (I watched too).

Sukkot and Simh . at Torah were vastly different experiences. The outdoor services were refreshing, spiritual, and posed challenges. The ark holding one Torah scroll wanted to roll down the banked parking lot; the wind was blowing the table covers away; and the sound was sometimes hard to hear. There were some unexpected positive highlights. Standing outside under the solar canopies, with sound echoing, created a feeling of being in a large indoor space. At the Erev Simh . at Torah service, we were accompanied by Jupiter and Saturn, low in the southern sky. Later in the service I was standing facing directly at the ark, and I looked above the tree line, behind. Mars was just visible, rising in the east. The visuals put a perspective of our place in the universe.

On Simh . at Torah, we honored David Geller as our Hatan Torah and Judy Zola as our Kallat Bereisheet. Seeing them walking under the h . uppah at the outdoor service added a sense of newness, just as we are starting a new Torah cycle. The most unique observation was one of our rabbis (I won’t say which one) holding a Torah and breakdancing on the asphalt parking lot.

With the overwhelming positive responses we have received about our High Holy Day experiences being available on Zoom and outdoors, I don’t believe we will ever be the same. Our adaptive resilience enabled us to turn a potentially negative experience into one that was meaningful and memorable. I envision that in the years to come we will fold our learnings into our traditional in-person services, allowing our members to experience new ways to welcome our annual renewal.

With the COVID-19 pandemic beginning to surge again, please maintain your vigilance – wear masks and stay distanced. Better tests, therapeutic treatments, and vaccines are not that far away. L’Shalom, Mark Bobrow president@templeemunah.org