Megillah, Summer 2003

Seeings and Scenes
A Glimpse of the Synagogue Year

The year started out with our first combined High Holiday Services. Services flowed without a hitch – thanks to the hours and hours of hard work put in by the chairmen of the Joint Religious Committee. The bima glistened, thanks to the couple who shined all the silver, and to the couples from both synagogues who donated flowers for the bima. The yizkor book was dignified and flawless, thanks to the couple who compiled it. Willing hands of USYers put up the succah with a little help from some adults. We all enjoyed the Rabbi's services; and the appeals made by members of both congregations hit their mark and brought tears to our eyes. And Aviv was crawling.

The operation of bingo changed hands smoothly and was successful due to the couple who took over and the volunteers who helped them: people who worked the evening of bingo and people who made the sandwiches.

We got used to the new prayer books used on Saturday mornings, and liked the people who joined us from Shaare Tikvah. Aviv started to walk. Our award-winning "Shabbat Shalom" was put out – and read – every Shabbat. We had lovely onegs and kiddushim, thanks to the people who made the platters, and the people who set out the food, and the people who ordered and picked up the food.

Monday mornings came alive again with the sounds of the seniors and the book review group. Tuesday evenings echoed with sounds of the Hebrew class. Thursday mornings saw more people taking part in our Torah study class and the Yiddish class that followed. Aviv started climbing the stairs to the bima – up and down, and up and down.

Rabbi and Shula had the best costumes at the Purim Megillah reading. And the children enjoyed the carnival. Rabbi Resnick's mother pitched in and helped with the lunch. And what a terrific worker she was! Aviv walked up and down the aisle during Shabbat services, shaking hands with every person he could reach.

A pre-school play group was started, and sounds of young children started to ring through the synagogue. We gathered in congenial groups for movie nights at the synagogue. Aviv can walk up and down the stairs to the bima by himself! We saw twins bar mitzvahed and baby twins named. We saw happy times and sad times, and another year passed.

~Bernice Cohen