At a recent TBS Board meeting, we talked about what TBS means to each of us and why we belong. It was good to share our stories with each other since we all have different reasons for attending services, joining committees, and participating in events at TBS.
Generally, we all want to be part of a Jewish community. TBS provides a warm and welcoming community where we can meet others and share intergenerational stories about our past shared (and differing) experiences. For some people, the ritual is a responsibility or tradition, a connection to our families who are still with us or who have passed. Not everyone values that ritual in the same way that our past generations did. We want to make connections with like-minded peers, especially other Jewish families. There’s a certain continuity and commonality or understanding about who we are when we first meet each other, and then that deepens over time as we get to know each other. We also get a tremendous amount of support from each other, as friends and fellow Jews, whether we’re celebrating losses or simchas – we are all there for each other.
Regardless of our many reasons for wanting to belong to TBS, we all want to make TBS a better, thriving community. We all attend voluntarily, of our own free will, because we want to stand up and be a proud Jewish people in our community. If you want to be part of the Metrowest Jewish Community, join us. Find some delight in things we do. We look forward to seeing you at our Chanukah party on Friday December 20 and SholomPlex (mini) on Saturday December 21. If those don’t work for you, attend one of our weekday evening minyans at 7:15pm or weekly Shabbat services (Friday night and Saturday morning). Think of ways to connect to your Judaism. I promise you’ll feel something warm and welcoming.
Evie Shorey, President