Temple Beth El
Executive Director’s Message
Dear Friends – Shalom
I am writing this message for the December bulletin early, which is not the usual. As I attempt to share my thoughts with you there is such diversity of emotions involved in my thinking this week. I know you will all understand as you read on.
It has been very busy in our office since the start of the High Holy Days, and the holidays that follow from the New Year, to the Day of Atonement, from Sukkot and celebrating the harvest to Simchat Torah, when we again start reading the Torah from the beginning.
Temple Beth El had a wonderful Congregational Dinner, the first in many years, and it was also the weekend we had family company to join us for dinner at Temple. The next weekend I personally had the joy of attending a beautiful, warm and loving wedding.
But the happy days were to end on Shabbat, October 27th when a crazed, anti-semitic man; in a lovely neighborhood in Pittsburgh, PA went on a rampage and killed 11 members of Tree of Life Synagogue, one of three congregations in a large beautiful building in Squirrel Hill. These folks were from their 50's to their 90's, at Shabbat Services, long standing members of their Temple Tree of Life.
Our hearts hurt for those killed and wounded and their families. Many of us ask why, but there is no answer. We send our sincere sympathy and love to all the families affected by this evil act. We hope their happy memories of the past are a source of comfort to the families and that their memories are always a blessing.
We must go forward, try to perform mitzvahs, have happy thoughts and Simchas and do good deeds for those in need and those we love.
It is hard to believe that by the time you read this Thanksgiving will be over and Chanukah will be at hand, as well as the secular New Year, 2019.
All the best to all of our friends, families and the entire Jewish Community of our people.
Shalom,
Mundy