December 2018

This has been a challenging month and so we are even more welcoming of Chanukah, our “festival of lights.” Just like you, I’ve always loved the story about how the small band of faithful Jews led by Judah HaMaccabee defeated a mighty army and was able to rededicate the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. We Jews are still a small band of faithful people and while we have our own synagogue to pray in, we find ourselves looking for new ways to (re)dedicate ourselves or engage with our Judaism. We have so many things going on at TBS, and yet we continue to look for new touch points, new ways in which we can provide meaningful Jewish experiences to our community.

Our first SholomPlex this past month was so successful that we are looking for ways to extend them to occur on more of a monthly basis, building on the dates we announced a few months ago for Torah Yoga. You will hear more about that soon. In addition, we will soon announce the dates and ways to sign up to attend a Focus Group or Parlor Meeting that will take place at homes of four congregants and at TBS. Stay tuned to the Tidbits for more information. The goal of these sessions is to hear from you about what you want from TBS and from our Rabbi search.  We will also share with you the recent Survey results.

What we’ve learned from the Survey is that our congregants belong to TBS because they want to feel part of a community, they want a connection and sense of belonging. While the majority of our members are satisfied to pray in a traditional service, our younger members are looking for new ways to spiritually connect to their Jewishness, not necessarily through traditional Jewish prayer. Our congregants enjoy our life-cycle events, but they are also looking for more inspiring services, with more music (a la our HaYom service) and social aspects to bring us together as a community. We want our new Rabbi to be relatable and approachable, and to continue to make TBS a welcoming and inclusive community for all.

Let’s think about how we can “be the change we want to see.” Think of ways we can enhance your experience at TBS. Share your thoughts with me and others so we can learn about what’s working and work together to make good change happen.

On a more somber note, we have assembled a TBS Security Committee and they are looking at what they can do on a short- and long-term basis to make us all feel safer.  Meanwhile, we are working with the Framingham Police to ensure we’re getting daily patrolling and to arrange for awareness training. Stay tuned and be safe.

Evie Kintzer Shorey, President