Thank You

Time for a big, fat, absolutely gigantic thank you and yasher koach to everyone who contributed to and participated in the recent High Holiday services.

There are so many component parts that have to be looked after in order to ensure that everything runs smoothly that I feel it is important to sit back and consider everything that went on during and around our services and recognize the many members of our community who contributed to making this all happen. If I were to include everyone’s name, you would be reading for a week but know that we noticed and really appreciated everything that everyone did.

How it all Comes Together

The High Holiday season begins in the month of Elul. People gather to study and begin to contemplate their actions over the past year and consider what lies ahead. Then we join together to participate in the Selichot service as we change over the mantels on the Torah from their weekday wear to their High Holiday white and, we gather to hear the first sounding of the Shofar for the new year.

Preparation for the services themselves began many months ago as the Religious and High Holidays committee, under the direction of Nicole Hansen and Leo Van Thyn, started working out all of the details for each service, including what the actual schedule would like, and then, who would handle all of the tasks. There are chanters to be selected (and their parts sent to them), aliyahs to be granted, along with the scheduling of ushers, shammas’, gabbai and hagbas. We need shofar blowers, we need the Ark doors opened and closed and we need the silver polished. So many details, so many people.

For the Rabbi, there is much thought and contemplation on how to formulate services that will be meaningful to our congregation, including a family service that will engage and welcome in our young people. As well, she needs to identify what topics will be relevant for her sermons, so that they will engage and enlighten – and then she has to actually write them.

Music is a critical component of our services, and the Rabbi rehearses with the Twisted Camels, Zoe Gomberg prepares the beautiful Kol Nidrei music and Albert Amar is prepping to aid in the Mincha Service. A thank you as well to Emma Weizenbluth who provided an extra voice and beautiful harmonies when she joined the Rabbi on the bimah for the Rosh Hashanah services.

Joel Brown, head of our tech team, is collecting Torah readings from those who may not be able to attend the service in person, sorting out the special prayers that will be shown on-screen, and ensuring that our links are set up and ready so that those of you who wish to join us on-line, can do so.

Mark Botnick and his team of shofar blowers are preparing for their important participation in many of our services, including that last, amazing blast of Tekiah Gedolah at the closing of the Yom Kippur Services.

We must also thank Nillon, who sets things up, participates in watching our front ‘gates’ and then cleans up and packs everything back up again.

With the mention of guarding the gates, I want to also thank the members of our Security Committee under the direction of Michael Zajdman, who, working in tandem with our good friends at Peel Regional Police, made sure we had both a safe and a welcoming space for our members and their family members and our other guests.

Then as we head towards the end of Yom Kippur, we participate in services led not just by the Rabbi, but by members of our congregation (Mincha – thank you David Grossman), and join in Ella’s walk, led by Marla and Deb Stoch, as we stroll along our walking trails, stopping at intervals to share a beautiful collection of thoughtful readings.

Once Havdalah is completed, we join in the communal Break Fast – thank you to our many contributors who provided snacks both sweet and savoury for all to enjoy.

What You Bring to These Important Days

And, at the end of the day, it is about those of you who joined us for services, both in person and on-line. It is always so wonderful to see so many people in the sanctuary (hint hint), joining in the prayers and the songs, listening to the sermons and even dancing in the aisles. Sharing both communal time as well as quiet, personal time, to pause and think about what has come before and what will come in the year ahead.

I hope that wherever and however you celebrated the holidays it was a meaningful time for you.

Shanah Tovah and Gmar Chatimah Tovah.

Ruth

Filed under: President's Message

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