A Temple For All Seasons (July KOL)

July 9, 2013

As I write this article, summer begins tomorrow.  For many of our members, this means a more relaxed time of year filled with time to enjoy family, friends, and the outdoors (at least on days without Virginia humidity!).  For my Bar and Bat Mitzvah students, it is a time to study Hebrew without the pressures of the school year, and for many in our community, it is a time to be able to get to services without the usual DC traffic.  We are a temple for all seasons, and that means that we have a full calendar of services and events for you this summer with at least two services every week, sometimes more.

I thought I would share my top five suggestions for the Summer of 2013:

  1. No matter what your age, commit to reading two Jewish books this summer.  If you want suggestions, feel free to ask one of the rabbis, or visit JewishLights.com for some of the most recent publications.  Parents with children under the age of eight, should sign up for a free Jewish book every month with PJ Library, the best deal around for bringing Jewish books into your home.
  2. Put High Holy Days 2013 on your work and family calendars now, as the holidays come EARLY this year.  Rosh Hashanah is two days after Labor Day (September 4th at night and September 5th for day) and Yom Kippur (September 13thand 14th) is the second Shabbat of the month of September.  Plan to take off work and be here for all of the services.  You’ll be glad you did.
  3. Encourage someone you know (a friend, relative, or neighbor) to visit TBS with you, and suggest that they consider joining.  If you have adult children who don’t belong, consider gifting them a membership.
  4. Put together a yearly tzedakah and mitzvah plan for yourself and for your family.  How will you share your blessings with others in the coming year?
  5. Commit to coming to services this summer.  Try Minyan Makers or Tot Shabbat!  Make time to enjoy Shabbat with services, or invite someone for Shabbat dinner.  Think about making it a habit to come to temple at least once a month starting with July.

Whatever you choose to do this summer, know that your choice to belong to TBS matters to me and to our wonderful community.   We would not be the thriving and caring community we strive to be without you.

Have a great summer!

Fondly,

Rabbi Perlin