President's Column

President's Column - April 2021

Like all of us, I have been thinking a lot these days about what it means to be at home for a year and looking back at how much we have learned about forming community while we are isolated. At TBT alone we now know how to hold virtual meetings, services, seders, movie nights, installations, book clubs and more. We “chat” with each other easily, go into breakout rooms, and we share our screens as if we were peering at the computer screen together. After a full year, look how far we have come! And while I mostly feel great about all we done, I have to admit that I also feel regret.

After all, well before the pandemic plenty of people we know and love had been stuck at home already, living lives away from us. Growing up in synagogue, or maybe just looking around you at TBT, you probably all know people who were pillars of the community, regulars at Torah Study or services or committees until, one day, they couldn’t be. Either through illness, frailty, old age, transportation or other issues, they became people who used to come to everything but now simply couldn’t.

And that, pretty much, was that. Once in a while a friend or relative might bring the person to something, but mostly that was the end of their connection to the community, save for a few visits to them. And we accepted that. And so did they.

Until we were ALL isolated and ALL became that person who was stuck at home. Then we immediately looked for and found ways to be included – Zoom services, Google Meet, Facetime. Yes, technology helped us, but some of that technology was available before the pandemic. We just weren’t always thinking about how to bring events to others because they were, well, others. Not us.

There were glimmers. We tried a live stream of High Holidays a year ago that was very well received. Now, however, there are more than glimmers. We know how to reach out to everyone and we are committed to doing so.

And so, if you are lucky enough to be able to return to TBT one day soon, for Religious School, services or (maybe!) a going away party for a beloved Rabbi, we are so happy to have you back! However, if you aren’t that lucky, do not worry. We hope to live stream, upload to YouTube or have “hybrid” events so all will be there. Zoom doesn’t have to be a thing of the past for those who need it; our new building should support all of these connections.

The biggest thing I have learned from this pandemic is if we are thoughtful and work a little harder, we can reach out to a number of people who can’t physically make it into our new building, beautiful though it may be. We will figure out how to include those members of the community who are ill or frail or maybe just live somewhere warm for half of the year! So, while I look forward to one day soon seeing many of you in person, I also look forward to including all of you, and others out there waiting to join, who will not be left out again.

Sarah Mervine

President's Column - March 2021

A friend recently told me that we all need a healthy dose of optimism right now, and I quipped back “what is that new drug and where do I find it?” It really has felt like optimism has been in short supply during this long winter. However, this evening I attended a meeting with the upcoming B’nei Mitzvah students, their families, Cantor Boyle and our soon to be new rabbi, Rabbi Moss. Looking around at all of those young faces excited and eager to become full-fledged “adults” in the eyes of TBT did fill me with optimism for our future and made me start to think about what other “healthy doses” there are right here at TBT.

For one, even as we remain away, our building is steadily being renovated. The old roof is coming down and the new roof is going up, city water is being hooked up, the new additions are being dug for our community room, expanded bathrooms, new kitchen and an elevator which will allow anyone to visit the first floor! Our sanctuary is being redone so all can fit and the new ark doors are under design. Less glamorous, but no less important, structural, and utility upgrades are also planned. It is happening as I write and, whenever we can return and be together, we will have a new, beautiful, accessible space to visit.

We are also steadily raising the money for this dream. We have reached almost $5.2 million of the $8 million goal. We need everyone’s help to make our new building a reality but, so far, the participation rate has been great. Our community is coming together to build it.

Along with the building, TBT members are being treated to some excellent programming – including a new class on Jewish Biblical History taught by Josh Lecar. If you missed the first one, do not worry, it is a series so there is time to join the next one - just contact Bonnie Mahon in the office. Or join the Power of Love presentation by Yad Vashem Sunday, March 7 at noon.

Speaking of Purim, by the time you get this we will have celebrated together and even managed to do a virtual Purim carnival for the kids! I hope the celebration helped cheer you along with the “Mishloach Manot” that were passed out to sweeten your celebration.

As we head into the spring after a long winter together, I am feeling very optimistic about what the future holds for all of us at TBT. I hope you are able to take advantage of some of TBT’s offerings and thereby find something that makes you take heart and feel that healthy dose of optimism we all really need right now.

Sarah Mervine

President's Column - February 2021

In Rabbi Offner’s article, she talks about a Rabbi who dared to give his congregation a report card. If we had to do that today for TBT, it would not be difficult. TBT congregants have managed to do so much during this extraordinary and difficult time. Some have joined the Capital Campaign where we have raised a little over $5.1 million towards our $8 million goal for renovating our building. Others have joined various committees to give input and direction to the building renovation that is well underway. They have assured that our new building will bring light, warmth, and accessibility to TBT while allowing room for a thriving Preschool and Religious School (and no need to turn our backs to our beautiful new ark during High Holidays). Others worked to have the installation of our wonderful new Cantor, Cantor Jenn Boyle, who hit the ground running and hardly feels “new” anymore! And, finally, some congregants worked on the search committee to find and hire our new Rabbi, Rabbi Danny Moss, who has so many great ideas for continuing Rabbi Offner’s legacy and leading us and our new building into the future. Even better, many of you came out to greet the new rabbi and show him what a warm community we are.

While it really isn’t anyone’s job to grade the synagogue, we can all feel good about the progress we have made. However, I assure you there is still more work to do and, with that, many opportunities to participate over the next few months! Here are just a few:

1.Consider joining just one committee at TBT that piques your interest. Education, Social Justice, Religious Activities, Communication, Technology, and Programming could all use your help.

2.Consider what kind of gift you might be able to make to the Capital Campaign as we have a goal of 100% participation from all members. We are trying hard to meet with each member by June and would love to meet with you. We welcome the gift you can make towards our financial stability and our new home.

3.Consider joining the Board, maybe for the first time ever, maybe for the third time! We are in the process of creating a nominating committee to fill open Board spots, so now is the time for you to consider lending your talents to TBT.

4.Come to one of our amazing programs over the next few months. As you will see in this Shofar, we have diverse programming available – from an Adult Education course on Jewish Biblical History to a medical program to discuss the link between Jewish Ancestry and certain health risk factors. Or show up at Book Club or Torah Study for the first time. Our groups are growing every day and are completely remote so you don’t need to go anywhere to be part of our community!

My experience at TBT is that the more you dig in, the more you get out of it. We welcome your time, your thoughts and your participation. Not sure how to start? Email me at sarahmervine@gmail.com or call the TBT office and I will get you started in the right direction. Thank you in advance for all you will do this year! - - Sarah

President's Column - November 2020

November is the time that we reflect on what we are grateful for and, this year, I am finding that pretty easy. This year, I am truly grateful for you, our wonderful TBT member.

I know that it is often said that this role I have now is a thankless one, but it really is not true. Not only do many of you thank me and our other volunteers for so many different things, but I also get to see all of the great things temple members are doing every day behind the scenes to make TBT run smoothly, even in these turbulent times.

One of the biggest things you all have been doing is paying your TBT membership pledges. We need those pledges this year more than ever and I want you to know we don’t take this support for granted. Each and every time you pay a pledge we are grateful that we can continue to do the good work we have started together. This year we are doubly grateful that people are not only supporting the current work of TBT but are also helping build for our future by supporting the Building Community Campaign.

It is an uncertain thing to build for the future while making sure we are set for today and yet I know it is the right thing for our community. Thank you for your support during this time and for recognizing the value of TBT in your own lives. The Board, Staff and Clergy of TBT all appreciate it.

Warmly,
- Sarah Mervine

President's Column - October 2020

The Jewish New Year is here and I thought maybe it was time to try something new. That is, I thought it was time to ask you to try something new.

In the secular new year we make all kinds of resolutions of what we are going to do in the upcoming year to make a change for the better. Often times we find we have a hard time following through on our goals. In this Jewish new year, why not make one resolution you can keep – make a resolution to try one new thing out at TBT.

What to try? There are all kinds of programs going on now, and for most of them, you only need to click on the Zoom link to be there. Want to participate in some insightful discussions? Come to Torah study, which you can find every Saturday at 9:00 AM or join the TBT Book Club for the October book of Button Man by Andrew Gross. Need some time to relax and focus? Try Jewish Mindfulness and Meditation every first and third Saturday of the month at 8:00 AM. Want to work on racial justice and getting out the vote? Come and see what the Social Justice Committee is doing at their meeting on October 1 at 7:30 PM on Zoom.

There is such a variety of programs, committees, services and activities going on, even during this time of being at home during COVID and the building renovation. I think for many of us, we feel that certain programs at TBT aren’t for us, simply because we’ve never tried them.

I can promise you that if you force yourself to try just one new committee/program/group in the month of October, the people you join are going to be thrilled to see you. I also promise you that no experience is necessary. If you are unsure how to join, e-mail me directly at sarahmervine@gmail.com and I will get you on your way (I might even be convinced to go with you). It is just that easy. Let this new year be one where we come together as often as we can to enjoy one another’s company and continue the good work at TBT.

Hope to see you soon!
Sarah

President's Column - September 2020

At a time when many are feeling uncertain about what the future brings and are putting plans in place to make it through the next few months, we at TBT are doing something almost unheard of at this time: we are building for the future. That’s right – we’ve begun the enormous and exciting task of renovating our building! At the same time that we plan to keep our community together and safe, we are looking to a future where our building will be totally accessible, full of light and sound, secure, and with plenty of space for our members to worship, learn and create all kinds of community programs.

We don’t take on this important task lightly. We have been planning this work for years. And while it never seems like the exact right time for such a momentous undertaking, the building itself has let us know the time is now, as its systems are slowly failing and some of the structure is badly in need of repair.

While taking on this project is a challenge, it is by no means unprecedented here at TBT. Forty plus years ago, the founders of TBT took a risk to build our first synagogue with the hope that it would be a home for Jewish life on the Shoreline. And now here we are, almost 300 families strong.

As we look to a sweet new year and hope that many of the challenges we are facing today will be met and conquered in the year ahead, we at TBT can look to what we are actively building – both literally and figuratively—and look forward to next year in our own redone space that will welcome us and future generations for years to come.

Shana Tovah.
Sarah Mervine

President's Column Summer 2020

When I agreed to take on the role of President of TBT, I could not have imagined the challenges that 2020 would bring for all of us. It is a time of great difficulty for our world and our community on many fronts. And, yet, as I said at the annual meeting, I don’t think I have ever been prouder to be a member of this community and I feel increasingly hopeful as to what we will accomplish together over the next few years.

During the pandemic, TBT has offered a way to both reach out and to be reached. Through its Helping Hands program, it reached members to simply say hello and make certain all were safe and without need. Through virtual services, onegs, seders, Torah Study, Jewish Meditation and Religious School we have been able to worship together, learn together and just see one another’s faces. We have also continued the good work we always do – raising more in our online food drive than ever before, supporting our food pantries and local groups that help the larger community, and simply reacting to the news of the day and creating opportunities for reflection and learning.

The work doesn’t stop here. We will continue to build our community – both at TBT and in the world around us – no matter what the coming months bring. Future programs include exploring race relations through readings and discussions from the Social Justice Committee, a “get out the vote” initiative, intergenerational programming through the Religious School and other means, a virtual movie day with Kol Ami, and several summer outdoor in-person services.

While TBT is always involved in the work of building community described above, we will also turn our attention to literally building for our community. Soon after this Shofar is delivered we will see the first shovel hit the ground for our building renovation project. As with the work above, we need each and every one of you to be part of this exciting project and we thank you in advance for your support and dedication to our community.

While the year ahead may be one with many challenges, there is also much to be thankful for as we work towards the future. I feel confident we will face these challenges together and come out stronger, in a place that will be our Jewish home on the Shoreline for future generations.

- Sarah Mervine

President's Column - June 2020

Shalom. Summer is almost here, I have my vegetable garden planted, and the warmer weather and longer days all have us hoping for better times ahead. Your leadership, both clergy and the lay board, are carefully following the health guidance from our local and state leaders. We also have created our own synagogue committee with knowledgeable congregants to guide our decisions and programming through the summer and beyond. We are all hopeful to have some limited, in-person, socially distanced outdoor services or programs this summer, and we will be guided by the experts on what is both allowed and safe.

Regardless of what form it takes, we will be welcoming Cantor Jennifer Boyle to TBT in early July as our new Cantor-Educator. Cantor Boyle will bring her energy and talent to the Bimah and to the Religious School. She already has “Zoomed” with the B’nei Mitzvah families to introduce herself and ensure continuity. The co-chairs of our search committee, Sue Groll and Loren Sterman, are now co-chairs of our transition committee. Working with our Education Co-chairs Peter Chorney and Deb Coe, they will ensure a seamless hand-off from Cantor Stanton to Cantor Boyle. Please also calendar Friday, June 12 at 7:15 p.m. for a live, Zoom Shabbat service where we will say good-bye to Cantor Stanton and celebrate all that he gave to this community in the last two years.

This column is also my good-bye column as TBT President. But I’m not really going anywhere. After three years as President, I am transitioning to Immediate Past President, so I will continue to serve on the Executive Committee and Board and look forward to working with your new President, Sarah Mervine, in the next couple of years. It has been an honor and pleasure to be TBT’s President, to meet so many more of you and really experience the love this congregation has for TBT. It has also been an honor and pleasure to work closely with the clergy, staff, and all of the lay leaders on TBT’s Board and committees. TBT has a bright future, and I look forward to seeing it all unfold.

As they say in Israel, l’hitraot. See you again soon.
Jeff Babbin

President's Column

Shalom.

May is normally a time to treasure the outdoors, when we enjoy the warm air and, on Memorial Day weekend, kick off summer fun. Instead, we’re in our own silos, our bunkers – our homes. We do get to treasure time with family, including children home from college (even if they would much prefer to still be there!). And there’s something spiritual about taking a daily long walk with a family member, emerging from our indoor lives for those brief moments of freedom and sunshine.

TBT also gives us those moments of connection to our community, even if it’s through our new means of connecting to the world – the internet and Zoom. Our weekly Shabbat services to view online, our interactive live Oneg gatherings and Torah Study group, weekly Mindfulness & Meditation, our renewed Religious School lessons, and the wonderful Passover Second Seder that over 50 TBT families attended have become part of the new rhythm of our lives.

Soon, our online experience will include the TBT Annual Meeting. Yes, like clockwork, virus or no virus, we will have our Annual Meeting, just not in the Social Hall. Through your computers, we can hear all about the wonderful things happening at TBT, celebrate our accomplishments, honor the Friesner Scholarship winner (and hear a report from last year’s winner), understand the TBT budget for the next year, and elect next year’s leaders who will help to continue to make TBT the beacon of Jewish life on the shoreline. Hope to “see” you all via Zoom on Thursday, May 14, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. The only thing we can’t give you is the pre-meeting nosh!

Although, that reminds me that TBT’s Helping Hands is still there for everyone who needs a person to talk to or assistance in shopping or other needs. Just reach out to the TBT Office.

- Jeff Babbin