
Dear
Mishkan Ha'am family and friends,
As
many of you know, mishkan ha'am means, loosely, "tent of the people,"
and ours is truly an open tent made of the many gifts of its members:
the wisdom, the songs, the stories, the faith, the doubts, the
questions, the compassion, the generosity, the energy and the
creativity of people of all ages and experiences.
This
coming year we have much to look forward to. We welcome David
Basior with great anticipation for all that he will bring to our
community as both rabbinic leader and director of She'arim/Gateways,
our religious school. David's calm wisdom, good humor, spiritual
openness and inspiring presence has already touched many of us.
Our
congregation is run by a number of vibrant committees offering exciting
ways to connect with the community and express members' creative
input. Programs for the coming year will include creative
havdallahs, chanting services, tot Shabbats, meditation retreats,
meaningful holiday observances, adult education seminars, and a number
of tikkun olam opportunities for the whole family.
We
appreciate the welcoming, stable home we have found with the First
Reformed Church, and look forward to another exciting year
together. It is a pleasure to help lead this participatory Jewish
congregation to further express the best of who we are as an authentic,
inclusive and ever-evolving spiritual community.