Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
12/21/2022 02:26:12 PM
DISPEL THE DARKNESS.
SHINE A LIGHT ON ANTISEMITISM.
HAPPY CHANUKAH! I hope that you have enjoying the first half of our annual Festival of Lights. I always find that the days of Chanukah go by very quickly. May our candles continue to add light and hope to our world at this darkest time of year.
A few Chanukah reminders: This evening we will be celebrating Chanukah and lighting Candle #4 together on-line during Wednesday Night Live at 7:00pm on Zoom. Please join me as we light candles, sing the blessings and songs, and talk about our favorite Chanukah traditions and the meaning of this holiday.
Our Chanukah celebration culminates this year on Friday, Dec. 23 – the Shabbat of Chanukah – with our annual “Chanukah on the Avenue.” Please plan on joining us at 6:00pm outside of the Temple as we light up our menorah. Cantor Colman says this might be the coldest Chanukah on the Avenue that he can remember. So then we will quickly come inside, enjoy our Latke Bar and Chanukah treats, sing songs, and wish each other a very happy Chanukah in the warmth of the auditorium. Afterwards we will join together for our Shabbat of Chanukah Service in the Feibelman Chapel. We will look forward to seeing you at Temple and celebrating with you.
As many of you know, on Saturday, Dec. 24, Temple Sinai will be hosting Trinity Episcopal Church for its Christmas Eve services. Trinity’s church building sustained damage from Hurricane Ida, and repair work in their sanctuary is still ongoing. We were happy to extend an invitation to and to host our friends and neighbors as they celebrate their holiest night of the year.
CHAG ORIM SAMEACH! HAPPY CHANUKAH!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
12/14/2022 02:55:22 PM
DISPEL THE DARKNESS.
SHINE A LIGHT ON ANTISEMITISM.
I hope everyone remains safe and dry on this stormy Wednesday with the threat of severe weather.
However, thunderstorms have not been the only source of darkness, gloom, and fear for our Jewish community. There have been too many incidents and headlines involving anti-Semitism in our country. The ADL is reporting record numbers of anti-Semitic threats and situations, which are becoming more and more a regular part of life for Jews across the United States.
A number of organizations, including the ADL, the URJ, CCAR, JCCs, Jewish Federations, and more, have joined forces in the fight against anti-Semitism and hatred in all of its forms. In the spirit of Chanukah, our upcoming Festival of Light, they have launched a campaign to “Dispel the Darkness. Shine a Light on Antisemitism.” For more information and ways to get involved, please check out the website: shinealighton.com.
We are excited about the beginning of Chanukah, which is only a few days away. Tonight, assuming we have power, we will discuss Chanukah and its traditions, story, and message during Wednesday Night Live at 7:00pm over Zoom.
The preparation for our annual winter Festival of Lights continues tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 15 with a special get-together at Temple. Join us at 7:00pm in person as we watch a performance by singer/songwriter Chava Mirel (over Zoom), brought to us by the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life and co-sponsored by both Temple Sinai and Touro Synagogue. Come in your Chanukah attire and join us for Chanukah treats, including Chot Chocolate and Chai Tea.
We will continue to get in the mood for Chanukah on Friday evening, with a Pre-Chanukah Oneg Shabbat Nosh with Latkes at 6:00pm, followed by our Shabbat evening service at 6:30pm in the Feibelman Chapel with Chanukah songs and more.
Chanukah begins this Sunday evening, December 18. Everyone is welcome to join us at Temple from 4-5:00pm as we welcome the holiday and light our outdoor Chanukah Menorah for the first time this year. And don’t forget: Chanukah on the Avenue will take place next Friday, Dec. 23 on the Shabbat of Chanukah.
Take care and happy Chanukah!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
11/02/2022 02:14:10 PM
I am so excited about this Shabbat! I hope you will plan on joining us at Temple this week. On Friday evening, Nov. 4, we will begin at 6:00PM with a shortened pre-service Nosh Reception in the foyer. Our Musical Shabbat Service will start at 6:15PM in the sanctuary and will feature members of our Shabbat band. We will also celebrate all of our November anniversaries and birthdays. So it will be a festive and joyous Shabbat Service together. Afterwards, everyone is invited to join us for a congregational Shabbat dinner in the auditorium. It will be a traditional Shabbat chicken dinner – please make your reservation so that we can properly prepare! We look forward to socializing together with good food and good company.
The joy continues Saturday morning as we celebrate Charlotte Kunian’s becoming a Bat Mitzvah during our Shabbat Morning Service, which begins at 10:30AM. Mazal Tov to Charlotte and her family – we are very proud of you!
Don’t forget: this evening is Part II of our Wednesday Night Live discussion of “Jews, News & Views.” We will continue to exam anti-Semitism in recent headlines, and also discuss this week’s elections in Israel. All are welcome to join us on Zoom tonight at 7:00PM.
I hope everyone is doing well! I look forward to seeing you at Temple.
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
10/19/2022 12:06:07 PM
We did it! We have made it through our Fall Holiday Season. Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur, followed five days later by our week-long Sukkot Festival concluding with our Simchat Torah celebrations – all are now behind us. With no more holidays to promote, what do we do now? WE START ALL OVER AGAIN!
Now the New Year 5783 is really underway, and we turn back to the very beginning of the Torah. This week our Torah portion – BEREISHEET – is the first few chapters of the book of Genesis. We read the Torah’s stories of creation and of the first human family.
And we might be out of holidays to celebrate for the next couple of months, but each week we have Shabbat to look forward to. It was wonderful to have so many people join us for High Holy Day services – what a feeling of community and togetherness we shared in our sanctuary. I hope we can find ways for those feelings and spirit of holiness to continue in the New Year. So please consider joining us for Shabbat Services. On Friday evenings, we are continuing with our pre-service Shabbat Shalom Nosh from 6:00-6:30pm in the auditorium. Our Shabbat Evening Service begins at 6:30pm. On Saturday mornings, Torah Study begins at 9:15am in the library, followed by our Shabbat Morning Service at 10:30am in the chapel.
We hope to see you soon at Temple! Shabbat Shalom!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
09/28/2022 03:05:48 PM
I want to begin by wishing everyone a good and healthy New Year: may we all be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life for a Shanah Tovah.
It was wonderful to see so many people at Temple for Rosh HaShanah. That’s the most worshippers we have had in the sanctuary for a service for three years. I hope that everyone who joined us in-person and online felt good about being a part of our Kehillah Kedoshah: our holy congregation and community. We have been through a lot over the past two years, which made it feel even better to be altogether to welcome the New Year 5783.
This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Shuvah – “The Sabbath of Repentance” or “Sabbath of Return.” We will return to Temple this Friday and Saturday, and then return once again for Yom Kippur – our Day of Atonement – that begins on Tuesday evening, Oct. 4 and continues all day on Wednesday, Oct. 5. We are excited to welcome everyone back to Temple Sinai as we pray for our families, our congregation, our people, our community, and our world here at the beginning of the New Year. At this time, we seek forgiveness for our past sins and mistakes and make plans for living even better and more meaningful lives in this New Year. Our goal is not just to be good – but to do good and to help make this world a better place.
As we did for Rosh HaShanah, we are asking everyone to make reservations for our Yom Kippur services. This is part of our security protocols, and we appreciate everyone’s participation and patience.
I like forward to seeing you as we return to Temple Sinai. L’shanah Tovah and Gemar Chatimah Tovah!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
09/21/2022 01:54:55 PM
Happy beginning of Fall! (I figured I would begin with that reminder since our highs are in the mid-90’s this week.). A new season is here along with our Holy Day Season, as well. This will be my last message of the year.
We are so excited to welcome everyone back home to Temple Sinai for Rosh HaShanah this year. So here are just a few reminders.
Rosh HaShanah begins this Sunday evening, September 25. Our Evening Service will begin at 7:00pm as we kick off the High Holy Days and announce the beginning of the New Year 5783. We are looking forward to everything about Rosh HaShanah: the beautiful and moving music led by Cantor Colman along with our amazing High Holy Day 12-voice choir directed by Dr. Marcus St. Julien (our first time to have the choir join us since 2019); the prayers and liturgy that help to inspire reflection, repentance, and renewal; the feeling of community as we gather altogether in our House of Assembly; the spirit of holiness that pervades this time of year; and, of course, the apples and honey, as well. Following the evening service, we will gather in the Goldring Pavilion auditorium for a “Sweet New Year Reception” and to wish each a “Shanah Tovah.”
Our Rosh HaShanah observances continue on Monday, beginning with our Temple Toddlers Rosh HaShanah Experience at 9:00am in the chapel. Our Morning Service will begin at 10:00AM with more wonderful music, as well as the reading of Torah and the sounding of the Shofar. Following the conclusion of the service, all are invited to our Rosh HaShanah luncheon in the auditorium.
In the afternoon, we will continue with our Rosh HaShanah Family Service at 2:00pPM. This service is aimed at our Chavurah@Sinai Students, grades 1-5 and their families. All are welcome to join us in the sanctuary. After the service, at 3:00PM we will gather outside and walk to Audubon Park to participate in the ritual of Tashlich, as we attempt to rid ourselves of sin while standing by living waters.
We look forward to seeing you at Temple this year for Rosh HaShanah. Please remember to make a reservation for all of our High Holy Day services and receptions. For security reasons, we will be checking everyone in at the door. All are welcome. We also want to remind everyone that for those who are out-of-town or who are unable to join us in person, all of our services will also be available online through Zoom and livestreamed on our Temple Sinai website.
I conclude with this wish and prayer:
Our God and God of our ancestors,
Eternal God of all generations:
May Your Presence in our lives this New Year
Renew our spirits and renew our strength.
May it be a good year.
May it be a sweet year!
L’shanah Tovah Tikateivu,
Rabbi Daniel Sherman
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
09/14/2022 12:46:45 PM
Somehow we are already halfway through September, and there is already a lot going on at Temple Sinai. It was wonderful welcoming all of our students back for the first day of Chavurah@Sinai this past Sunday. We are excited about another wonderful year of learning here at Temple for our kids.
This evening I will wrap up our first Adult Education Class of the season as part of Wednesday Night Live. We will continue our discussion about preparing for this year’s High Holy Days. Please consider joining us at 7:00pm this evening on Zoom.
Rosh HaShanah is less than two weeks away, so it is really time to get ready. I hope that everyone will take some time to reflect on this past year (5782) in order to help us prepare for the New Year (5783). We have two special services this week to help us get ready for our High Holy Days. Plan on joining us on Friday, September 16 for our Musical Shabbat Service. This week we will feature our wonderful choir and organ and begin to introduce the melodies of the Days of Awe. Services are at 6:30pm in the Sanctuary, with our pre-service nosh beginning at 6:00pm in the auditorium.
This Saturday evening, Sept. 17, we will hold our Selichot Service. The purpose of this special evening is to help get us in the mood for the High Holy Days and to introduce us to the music, prayers, and themes of these Days of Awe. We will begin with a dessert reception in the auditorium at 7:30pm, followed by our Selichot Service at 8:00pm in the Sanctuary. Don’t let Rosh HaShanah sneak up on you – now is the time to prepare. Our Selichot Service is a wonderful way to help prepare.
I hope that you will check the Temple Sinai website, our weekly email messages, and the September bulletin for all of our High Holy Day information. A friendly reminder: please make your reservations for Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur services this year. We are so excited to welcome everyone home to Sinai this year. Please let us know when you will be joining us so that we can be prepared – we cannot wait to see you.
L’Shanah Tovah!
A High Holy Days Message
09/07/2022 01:58:27 PM
Dear friends,
Believe it or not, I have already noticed some subtle changes from Summer to early Autumn here in Rockport. I’m keenly aware that the High Holy Days season will soon arrive and my mind returns to special memories from my youth.
For instance, one crisp September evening, when I was perhaps nine or ten, I was waiting expectantly on the front porch of our home in Glen Burnie, Maryland. I was waiting for my father who had gone to pick up my grandmom who lived only six blocks from our home and I was full of anticipation on that Rosh HaShanah evening for a new Jewish year to arrive.
Waiting for them, I was able to see the festive dining room table set with candles, wine, and a bowl of sliced applies with honey. I knew that following that family dinner we would all ride together twenty miles or so into Baltimore where our temple was located. We made sure to bring our copies of the Union Prayer Book II! Even then I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the music – the organ and the choir!
There was one other realization that was forever set on that September evening. Looking up and down our street and surveying the familiar homes of my best friends, I understood that for them this was a “nothing special night.” And THAT knowledge increased all the more my awareness how much our Jewish faith meant to me.
No doubt, there are memories which each one of you also treasure of precious dear ones, gathered around the festive holiday table, who once you delighted to see in the glowing candles’ rays. In this increasingly perplexing and challenging world, perhaps we need all the more to embrace our memories and our Jewish traditions, and from them, renew our strength, our faith, and our sense of purpose for the next chapter of our life’s journey.
To each and every one of you in our temple family, Andrea and I send our very best wishes and most heartfelt Shanah Tovah for a sweet and blessed 5783!
Faithfully yours,
Rabbi Edward Paul Cohn
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
08/31/2022 11:13:46 AM
On one calendar, the month of August is coming to an end. On the Jewish calendar, the month of Elul has just begun. Elul is the last month of the year and is meant to be a period of preparation before the upcoming High Holy Days and start of the New Year. During Elul we are encouraged to reflect on the past year: what were the high points and low points, what did we learn, what did we experience, what are we proud of, what do we wish we could change or take back? I want to encourage everyone to take some time over the next four weeks for some self-examination and reflection. The more we put into our preparation for the High Holy Days, the more we will get out of our Days of Awe.
To help us with our preparations, I am beginning a new Wednesday Night Live discussion on “Getting Ready for the New Year.” I invite you to join me online for the next three Wednesday evenings at 7:00PM on Zoom. I will try to answer your questions about the themes and traditions of this holiest time of year.
We are busy getting the Temple ready for Rosh HaShanah, as well. Please know that all of our High Holy Day information will be available in the September 2022 Bulletin and on the website starting this week.
We are also busy getting ready for another year of Religious School. We had a wonderful kick-off event this past Sunday. Today marks the first day of Hebrew School. Chavurah@Sinai will begin on Sunday, Sept. 11.
It was wonderful welcoming our Greater New Orleans Reform Community to Temple Sinai for our Summer Union Shabbat Services the past four weeks. This Friday it will once again just be us for services. Join us at 6:00PM for our Pre-Service Nosh in the Auditorium, followed by services at 6:30PM in the Sanctuary. This week we will be celebrating our September anniversaries and birthdays.
Don’t forget: we are still collecting hurricane supplies for the New Orleans Women and Children’s Shelter. Please feel free to drop items off at Temple this week. Thank you!
WEDNESDAY WISDOM & WIT
08/10/2022 02:47:12 PM
It has been a while since we posted a Wednesday Message. I hope everyone is doing well, having a good summer, and staying dry and safe.
It was wonderful this past weekend welcoming so many people back to Temple with our Summer Union Shabbat Services. We will be hosting our community Shabbat services throughout August. Join us in the auditorium at 6:00pm for our Nosh – our pre-service Oneg Shabbat – and to wish each other a Shabbat Shalom. Services will begin at 6:30pm in the Sanctuary. This week is our “Back to School Shabbat” and School Supply Drive. We are collecting needed school supplies for Kingsley House as we prepare for the beginning of a new school year. Please stop by Temple this week to drop off donations or bring them with you on Friday evening. We hope you will support this important drive for our community.
While it was a feel-good weekend here at Temple, it was a very difficult time for those living in Israel. Islamic Jihad in Gaza fired over 1000 rockets into Israel. We pray that the cease-fire will hold and that Israelis will not have to live in fear for their safety and security. SHAALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM – Let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all Israel, and may all of its inhabitants know joy and safety.
I hope you will consider joining us this evening and on Sunday morning for our “Congregational Conversations,” as we discuss our upcoming clergy search and plans for the future.
Rabbi Daniel Sherman
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
05/18/2022 03:04:56 PM
I hope that everyone is staying healthy. At Temple we are monitoring the rise of COVID cases in our community and are recommending that people reconsider wearing masks inside. It is our goal to keep our community and congregation healthy and safe. Please get your boosters and get tested if you are not feeling well.
I want to wish a MAZAL TOV to our Confirmation Class of 5782. We are so proud of you. Thank you for leading our Confirmation Service this past Friday evening. I also want to wish a MAZAL TOV to Rabbi Ed Cohn for receiving the prestigious ADL Torch of Liberty Award last week in recognition for all of his work in and for the greater New Orleans community.
On one hand, last weekend at Temple was so nice: we went from Confirmation to Brotherhood’s Bingo & BBQ event, to an end of the year picnic for our Chavurah@Sinai families. On the other hand, the news from around the country made it a very difficult and scary weekend. As we read the headlines from Buffalo to Southern California (as well as to the continued and growing violence in our own city), our hearts go out to all of the families of the victims. Again we see a rise in hate and violence – and what inaction to stop the spread of prejudice causes. I want to share with you the important statement that the CCAR put out yesterday in response to the massacre in Buffalo that targeted the African-American community.
I also wanted to point out that yesterday in Washington, SC there was a very important Jewish Rally for Abortion Justice, sponsored by the National Council of Jewish Women. A link to a news story on the event is included. I am proud of our Reform Movement for being well-represented, and for being on the forefront of these fights for social justice and equal rights.
There is so much more work to be done. As the Talmud teaches us: it is not up to us to complete all the work, but neither are we free to abstain from doing our part.
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
05/04/2022 01:28:33 PM
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ISRAEL!
Today and tomorrow are very important day on the Jewish calendar. Today in Israel is YOM HAZIKARON – Israel’s Memorial Day. Tomorrow is YOM HAATZMAUT – Israel’s Independence Day. On Yom HaZikaron, the entire country of Israel stops to remember and to honor all of those Israelis who have lost their lives in the creation and defense of the Modern State of Israel. It is a very somber day that includes a national moment of silence, as well as visits to military cemeteries throughout the land. Almost every family or neighborhood has suffered some type of loss of a soldier due to war or terrorism. Before Israel celebrates its independence, Israel remembers those who lost their lives to make sure that Israel exists still today.
Then on Yom HaAtzmaut, the entire country celebrates. This year Israel, which was founded on May 14, 1948 (5 Iyar, 5708), marks its 74th birthday. We join with Jews all over the world in giving thanks for our Jewish homeland and praying for its safety and well-being. We pray that this 75th year may include peace and prosperity for all who dwell there. Let us take advantage of this special day to strengthen our relationship with the land and people of Israel.
I encourage you to join in our Community Yom HaZikaron observance and Yom HaAtzmaut celebration this evening at the Uptown JCC beginning at 5:30pm. We will also talk about and celebrate Israel during our Wednesday Night Live discussion on Zoom at 7:00pm tonight.
REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
We all read with horror the leaked draft opinion from the Supreme Court regarding Roe v. Wade and abortion rights. This was truly a wake-up call for all who are serious about protecting abortion rights and reproductive health and justice for all. I would like to share with you the statement issued by leaders within the Reform Movement. We clearly have much work to do. This is an important issue and a Jewish issue – we cannot stand idly by.
Reform Movement Leaders Decry Supreme Court’s Apparent Plan to End Abortion Rights
WEDNESDAY WISDOM & WIT
04/27/2022 03:39:37 PM
Passover ended this past Friday evening (and I want to congratulate our Temple Sinai Sisterhood on leading a beautiful Sisterhood Sabbath Service). We always conclude Passover by remembering – first remembering the story of our people, and then remembering family and friends whom we have loved and lost over the years.
Now, less than a week later, we take a day to remember once again. This evening marks the beginning of YOM HA’SHOAH – our annual Holocaust Remembrance Day. Every year on Yom HaShoah we stop to remember the 6 Million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust, and we make a pledge never to forget. It is up to us and to those who will come after us to remember those who were killed and to work to bring an end to genocide, as well as an end to hatred, bigotry, and prejudice and the violence that all too often goes with it. We know what happens when no one stands up for those who are targeted and persecuted, those who are seen only as “different” or the “other” – and we have an obligation to stand up and fight for the rights and equality of every person.
May this year’s Yom HaShoah inspire us always to remember and never to forget – and may it lead us to do our part to help create a world of hope and peace for every individual, regardless of race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, or anything that may divide us.
Our community-wide Holocaust Memorial Program will take place tomorrow, Thursday, April 28 at 7:00pm at Congregation Gates of Prayer in Metairie. We will join together to remember and to hear the story of our local survivors. For more information, please call the JCC or visit nojcc.org.
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
04/20/2022 02:28:00 PM
I hope that everyone is enjoying Passover this year. That’s right – it’s not over yet. Though for many of us, we have moved from the “yummy” stage of Matzah to the “crummy” days of Matzah! This evening is already the 6th Night of Passover – only one more evening after that. Passover ends Friday evening with the beginning of Shabbat (except for those who choose to celebrate eight days of Passover, for whom Passover will end Saturday evening).
Speaking of Friday evening, we have a very special service this week. Please join us for Sisterhood Shabbat on Friday, April 20. The service will be led by members of our Temple Sinai Sisterhood, whom we will honor and thank for all that they do for our congregation and community. Our Vocal Ensemble will also participate and help to lead some special music for our service. Following services, we will gather in the auditorium for an Oneg Shabbat reception.
Please join me this evening for Wednesday Night Live at 7:00pm on Zoom as we will continue to discuss Passover celebrations and traditions.
Chag Sameach – Happy Passover!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
04/06/2022 03:42:37 PM
Following the conclusion of the NCAA basketball tournament that took place here in New Orleans this past weekend, here are my Final Four thoughts for this week:
- OUR GARDEN PARTY GALA: What a fabulous event we hosted this past weekend! How wonderful it was to be altogether and to gather in celebration of our beloved congregation and Temple! I want to thank everyone who planned this great event and made it happen for all of us. I also want to thank everyone who attended and all who showed their support for and love of Temple Sinai. Todah Rabbah – thank you so very much!
- IT’S TIME TO PREPARE FOR PASSOVER: The beginning of Passover is just over a week away. It is time to get ready. That means it’s time to make our seder plans, prepare our homes, and to buy some matzah. This evening during Wednesday Night Live we will discuss the upcoming holiday and how we can best prepare for and get the most out of our Passover observances this year. Reminder: our Congregational Seder will be on the First Night of Passover – Friday, April 15. Thank you to everyone who has already reserved spots. If you are planning on joining us for seder, please make your reservations this week. Thank you!
- SPECIAL MUSICAL SHABBAT EVENING SERVICE: Please plan on joining us this Friday evening, April 8, at 6:00pm for a special service featuring some local musicians – including our own Barry Spanier, Ben Schenk, and vocalist Meryl Zimmerman. Come in person as we welcome each other back to Temple. Services will also be available online and via Zoom.
- TIME TO LEND A HAND: As we prepare for Passover, and as our community continues to recover from storms, let's remember to share what we have with those who are in need. Those hit hardest by the storms could still use our help. And let’s remember all of the innocent victims and refugees in and from Ukraine, and let’s do our part to help them, as well.
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
03/30/2022 03:36:45 PM
Can you believe that April is almost here? Where did March go? But if this weekend is the beginning of April, then you know what that means for our community? No, not the Final Four. I’m talking about the Temple’s Annual Gala. I am so excited to see everyone at this year’s Garden Party Gala on Saturday afternoon, April 2, at Longue Vue Gardens. Rain or shine – it will be a beautiful event. It will be wonderful to be altogether in this special location that is an important part of our community and congregational history. We will not allow some potential rain to dampen our spirits or enthusiasm. We will come together to celebrate Temple Sinai and the amazing people who make up our congregation.
Don’t forget: the auction and raffle are live on our website. Be sure to check out all the fabulous offerings this year. Be sure to check out all the fabulous items this year. Your participation is an important and wonderful way to support our Temple.
An additional reminder: April 1st might be April Fools Day to some, but for us it is the beginning of a special Shabbat. We will begin with our Temple Toddlers at 5:30pm and then our 6:00pm Shabbat Evening Service which will include our blessings for those celebrating anniversaries and birthdays this month. And on Sunday, April 3 Chavurah@Sinai is meeting at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience for a fascinating morning. I really recommend a visit to the museum for everyone – and let’s be sure to do our part to support this new addition to the New Orleans Jewish community.
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
03/23/2022 01:12:08 PM
Oh, what a night! Yesterday evening was quite scary here in New Orleans. Our hearts go out to all who were affected by yesterday’s tornadoes in our greater area. We pray for a complete and speedy healing for all who were injured or hurt in any way. If you were affected or know of anyone in our Temple Sinai family who is in need of help, please let us know.
For those of us who were not targeted by yesterday’s storm, we went to bed last night breathing a little easier and full of gratitude. I am pleased to report that the Temple did fine, as Uptown was spared much of the wind and rain of the greater storm.
In the Jewish tradition, we have many blessings of praise and thanksgiving. There is something for every occasion – though I could not find a blessing that speaks directly about tornadoes. The blessing for seeing lightning or other natural wonders is: “Praise to You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, Source of creation and its wonders.” The blessing upon hearing thunder is: “Praise to You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, whose power and might pervade the world.” Both blessings remind us of God’s great power and God’s role as Creator of this world. They should also remind us of our role as God’s partners in the work of creation – and inspire us to take good care of God’s creations and of each other.
There is also a blessing with which we say “thank You” to God after escape from danger or recovery from serious illness: “To You, Adonai, I offer my thanksgiving and glorify Your name. Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who has bestowed every goodness upon us.” We call this “benching gomel.” When offered in public, after an individual has recited the first line, the congregation responds: “May the One who has bestowed goodness upon us continue to bestow every goodness upon us forever. AMEN.”
The best way to show our gratitude and share that goodness is by helping those who are in need. I hope that we will all look for ways to reach out to individuals and organizations that are helping the victims of yesterday’s storm, including the Red Cross, the United Way, Second Harvest, and more. There are so many in need in our community; let’s do our part to help take care of each other.
Here at Temple I want to remind everyone that Cantor Colman will continue to share stories from his road trip across the Jewish South during Wednesday Night Live this evening at 7:00pm on Zoom. This Friday Evening I invite you to join us in the Feibelman Chapel for Shabbat Services at 6:00pm. Masks are optional. Sunday afternoon come to Temple for a fabulous concert at 2:00pm with the New Orleans Symphony Chorus, featuring our very own Cantor Joel Colman. And don’t forget: our Garden Party Gala is only a week away! Please reserve your tickets and check out the on-line auction.
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
03/09/2022 01:52:27 PM
I hope everyone is well and staying healthy. I am thus far encouraged by where we are with COVID following Mardi Gras and hopeful that we will be able to keep up our forward progress. Please know that we are in the process of reevaluating all of our COVID and mask protocols and making more plans for upcoming future events.
That’s the good news. The bad news, the heartbreaking news is what we read coming from Ukraine, as the crisis there continues because of the aggressive attacks by Russia. Our hearts go out to all of the innocent victims in Ukraine.
Ukraine is not just any other country to us Jews. It currently has a Jewish population of over 100,000 people. And so many Ashkenazic Jews in this country and all over the world can trace their roots back to the cities and towns of Ukraine. Many Jews are trying to escape. The Jewish communities there are doing everything they can to survive – including providing shelter and needed supplies – but they need our help. Let us be among those whose broken hearts move them to action.
I believe there are many ways that we can help. I am grateful to Arnie Fielkow, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans, for his leadership and passion in helping out those in Ukraine. I want to encourage you to go to the Jewish Federation website (jewishnola.com) where you will find ways that we can support the important work of the Jewish Federations of North America, who have people on the ground lending a hand in Ukraine as we speak.
2 other very important ways we can help out:
- World Union for Progressive Judaism (wupj.org) – The WUPJ is the international network of Reform and Progressive Judaism. The WUPJ supports congregations across the globe, and has long been involved with communities in Ukraine. The World Union has set up a Ukraine Crisis Fund and they need our support.
- Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (hias.org) – HIAS has been supporting Jewish refugees and immigrants for over 100 years. They are currently helping to get Jews out of Ukraine and to Israel and to closer safe havens. They are doing wonderful work and need our support.
Our tradition teaches us that it is not up to us to complete the work, but we are not free to turn a blind eye and not do our part. I urge you to lend a hand, get involved, and do all that we can to help.
Thank you for your support. See you at Temple!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
02/16/2022 02:24:48 PM
Shalom from Temple Sinai! I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy. This is an exciting time here in New Orleans. The countdown is on. People are preparing floats, costumes and especially MASKS. Laissez les bon temps rouler – because Purim is exactly one month away!
Purim and Mardi Gras actually have a lot in common. The worst part of the winter is behind us, spring is not that far off – it is time to celebrate and have fun, which is an important part of both holidays and observances. So mark your calendars: we will be celebrating Purim at Temple on Wednesday evening, March 16 at 6:00pm and on Sunday morning March 20 with our Chavurah@Sinai students and families. Stay tuned for information on community celebrations, including the JCC’s annual ADLOYADAH on Sunday, March 13.
In the meantime, I hope that everyone enjoys the parades and festivities of this time of year in New Orleans. Please stay safe and be careful!
A reminder that our Shabbat Services this Friday evening will begin at 6pm and are available both in-person and online. Our Vocal Ensemble will help to lead the music this week. I look forward to seeing you at Temple.
WEDNESDAY WISDOM & WIT
02/09/2022 04:13:13 PM
Shalom from Temple Sinai! I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy. There are 3 items that I would like to bring to your attention today.
- WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIVE: This is week #2 for our “Modern Issues, Modern Beliefs” discussion. Last week we talked about Jewish views on abortion as well as the rise of anti-Semitism. I invite you to join us this evening and next Wednesday at 7pm on Zoom to discuss more issues that are on your minds.
- February is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month. In honor of this, we are joining with the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life for a special program entitled, “Being Heard,” on Thursday, Feb. 10 at 7:00pm. The program is being led by Nick May, who grew up here in New Orleans, and is a singer/songwriter, educator, songleader, and inclusion activist. I hope you will be able to join us. We want to thank Ann Kientz and the ISJL for continuing to make such wonderful programming available to us. For more information about Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month and Jewish Disability Advocacy Day (JDAD, Feb. 23-24, 2022), I encourage you to visit the Religious Action Center website (rac.org) or jewishtogether.org.
- SHABBAT SERVICES THIS WEEK: On Friday we are looking forward to “Summertime in February.” Join us this week at 6pm for a special Camp-Inspired Shabbat Evening Service on Friday, Feb. 11. Two of our Chavurah@Sinai teachers, Mollie and Caroline Sloter, will help lead services. Both sisters grew up in Ft. Worth, TX active in Beth-El Congregation and NFTY. Caroline was a songleader at the URJ Greene Family Camp in Texas this past summer and helps to lead music on Sunday mornings.
I look forward to seeing you online and at Temple. Please take care!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
01/27/2022 08:51:23 AM
There’s a lot going on this week. We hope that everyone is doing well and staying healthy. I am glad to see our overall COVID numbers going down, but I urge everyone to remain careful. I want to remind you that at Temple everyone is required to wear a mask inside the building.
Thursday, January 27 is the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Every year I get asked, “what is this day?” In 2005 the United Nations established this Holocaust Remembrance Day on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau on January 27. The purpose of the day is to serve as date for official commemoration of the victims of the Nazi regime and to promote Holocaust education throughout the world. Every year there are a number of events and themes to mark this day. For more information, I encourage you to go the website of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (ushmm.org). This date is not to be confused with Yom HaShoah – our Jewish Holocaust Remembrance Day that takes place on the 27th day of Nisan (about a week after the conclusion of Passover) every year.
This week we will also be participating in “Repro Shabbat” on Friday evening, January 28. For our second year, we are partnering with WRJ and NCJW to be an advocate for reproductive health, rights, and justice in our community. As Women of Reform Judaism reminds us: “The stakes are so high this year around abortion access. We seek to create a Jewish movement by carving out a moment to honor reproductive freedom over Shabbat. We start to reclaim the narrative from the Religious Right when we build from the ground up, right at home in our communities.” For more information, please visit the WRJ website (wrj.org). This is a very important issue for Judaism and in our community – I hope you will choose to add your voice in support of reproductive health and rights and get involved.
Please remember that Friday evening services are available both in-person and online. Shabbat morning services and Torah study will continue online only for now.
I hope to see you soon. Please take care and stay well!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
01/19/2022 03:44:55 PM
It is Wednesday, but I still very much have Colleyville, TX and the events from this past Shabbat at Congregation Beth Israel on my mind. I am grateful that everyone escaped the Temple without physical harm. I am grateful for and so appreciative of all the law enforcement agencies and professionals who were involved and who made a safe outcome happen.
I am grateful for so much. But I am also sad and scared and disappointed and mad. What happened was shocking in so many ways – but it was not necessarily unbelievable. Sadly we have seen a rise not only in hate and violence in our country, but specifically a rise in anti-Semitism and in acts of hatred targeting Jews and Jewish communities. Unfortunately, this is part of our current reality.
Here’s what I think we should take away from the events of last Saturday.
First, we Jews are one community. What affects one group or one synagogue affects all of us. We want our fellow Jews and fellow Reform Congregation in Texas to know that we stand with them and are here for them. They are not alone.
Second, please know that we take safety and security very seriously here at Temple Sinai. We have security plans in place. We continue to be in contact with security experts from the Jewish community and greater New Orleans community who have advised and coached us. There is no perfect plan; there is no way to be prepared for everything. But know that we are trying. I am grateful to our head of security, Joe Williamson, for all that he does for our Temple and congregation. Security is always on our minds and on the minds of our staff and leadership.
Third, please know that we are here for you. We love our congregants and our community. We – your Temple family, our Sinai leadership, clergy, and staff – care about you and are committed to do all that we can for you. If you have concerns or if you just want to talk, know that we are happy to reach out. Please just let us know. We are here. We are listening. We care.
Fourth, please know that we will get through this. We have been through a lot throughout our history as a people. There have always been challenges and obstacles in our path. But we have survived, persevered, and thrived. We are still here and, with the help of God, we hope to be here for a long, long time still to come.
With all of this in mind, we push forward here at Temple Sinai. I hope that you will consider joining us for Shabbat services this Friday evening at 6pm – whether in person or online. Every Shabbat service is a service of healing and hope – this week I think those prayers are needed even more. We will pray for our community, our people, and our world.
Please stay safe, try to stay healthy, and I hope to see you soon!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
01/12/2022 03:00:56 PM
This is my first Wednesday Message of 2022. So let me begin by wishing everyone a happy and healthier New Year. I know we are off to a shaky start. It is scary to see our current COVID numbers in our city and community. Again, I want to urge everyone to be safe and smart: let’s be sure that everyone who is eligible is vaccinated and boosted, and that we are all wearing our masks and avoiding large gatherings. This latest strand of COVID is so very contagious – please be careful. To all who are sick, we wish you a complete and speedy recovery.
We are being extra careful at Temple right now. Masks are required for everyone inside the building. We have no receptions or meals planned at Temple for the time being. We are continuing to offer our Shabbat Evening Services both in person and on-line. We request that everyone attending worship services provide proof of vaccination status and practice social distancing. Our Shabbat Morning Services and Torah Study will remain only on-line this month.
We delayed the beginning of Religious School for our students one week. This Sunday we will celebrate the upcoming holiday of Tu Bishevat – the birthday of the trees – with an outdoor visit to the Botanical Gardens in City Park. We hope it will be an educational and fun (and not too cold) start to the new semester. In honor of Tu Bishevat, I hope that everyone will consider “Going Green” and take steps not only to appreciate but also to protect our beautiful earth and environment.
Our Adult Education classes and discussions will continue online only this month. This evening I will begin a new class: “What Jews Believe, Part III – The People of Israel.” We will continue our study of Jewish beliefs. Having begun with our beliefs in God and Torah, we will shift our focus to what does it mean to be Jewish and to be a part of the Jewish people today. Tonight we will ask, “Who is a Jew?” I hope you will plan on joining me on Zoom at 7:00pm.
It is hard to believe that it has been a year since we lost our beloved Executive Director Emeritus, Herbert Barton, z’l. We will honor and remember Mr. Barton at a special Shabbat Service this Friday evening, January 14. I hope you will plan on joining us in-person or on-line as we remember all that Mr. Barton meant to Temple Sinai. Rabbi Cohn and I will lead the service together, and we will be joined by Dr. Marcus St. Julien and a vocal quartet for some special music.
There is lots that we have planned for 2022 at Temple Sinai. I hope you will check with our Monthly Bulletin, our website, and our weekly email messages for the most up-to-date information on all that is happening at Temple.
Please stay well, stay safe, stay connected, and I hope to see you soon!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
12/15/2021 03:21:32 PM
TOGETHER NEW ORLEANS – Yesterday I was honored to participate in the new Together New Orleans Citywide Delegates Assembly. Harry Lowenburg, Tyler Guidroz, and I represented Temple Sinai for the gathering at First Grace United Methodist Church. We joined with 50 other organizations, including churches, synagogues, and civic institutions who are striving to build a new “WE” in New Orleans to solve our common problems. Goals for Together New Orleans include developing trust across the lines that have divided our community in the past, in particular the line of race; strengthening community leadership so that we are more effective at working together; and achieving change on concrete issues of our choosing. We are proud that Temple Sinai will be a founding member institution of this new “WE” for New Orleans. To learn more, check out the website togethernola.org. I want to thank Harry, who has been an integral part of Together New Orleans since its inception, and Tyler, who recently helped to lead a community forum that we hosted at the Temple. I also want to thank our Temple’s Social Justice Committee, chaired by Luz Molina, and our Temple officers and board for their support of this important endeavor. We will keep you updated as to what happens next.
When you drive by Temple Sinai, you might notice a slight change outside of our building. The banner that proudly stood above the entrance to our sanctuary has come down. The banner had been up for the past several years, a symbol of our commitment to be a House of Prayer for all and a haven of love not hate. Banners have a limited lifespan, but the message remains important. The banner had begun to fade and to look tattered and worn. Our Temple Board voted to remove the banner (or not to put it back up the next time it fell), which is now the case. We want to thank all those who have helped the Temple to be a beacon of light and hope to our entire community – we pledge to continue to work to protect the rights of all and to pursue justice, equality, and peace in our community.
Please let me know or contact the Temple if you have any questions or are interested in becoming more involved. Together we can make a difference.
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
12/08/2021 02:26:58 PM
What a nice Chanukah we celebrated this year! It was wonderful to come together for Chanukah on the Avenue and a special Shabbat of Chanukah service this past Friday evening at Temple. It felt so good to be together in person outside to light up the Menorah and sing the blessings and Chanukah songs. The latkes and cookies were a nice additional treat. Then on Sunday we continued our celebrations with a fun morning for our Chavurah@Sinai students, including a Chanukah Carnival with games and snacks. We concluded with a special Menorah-lighting ceremony at the St. Louis Cathedral. I want to thank everyone who participated in our Chanukah events and celebrations this year – and a special TODAH RABBAH (Thank you very much!) goes to our volunteers, staff, and leadership who made everything happen.
This evening I invite you to join with Cantor Colman for Wednesday Night Live on Zoom at 7:00pm as he explores “Israeli Folk Music & Composers.” It sounds like a great class that will take place this week and next week (Dec. 8 & 15). Please join us online to learn more and to hear some beautiful music.
We are excited to celebrate this Shabbat as Auden Emerson becomes a Bar Mitzvah during our Shabbat Morning Service at 10:30am. Mazal Tov to Auden and his family! I also want to remind our Religious School students and families that today is our final Hebrew School afternoon of the semester, and this Sunday will be our last Chavurah@Sinai classes for 2021.
Please take care and I hope to see you soon!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
11/24/2021 03:00:39 PM
This week we will join together with our fellow Americans to celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving. I hope we will all take some time to remember to give thanks this Thanksgiving. The following prayer comes from our home prayerbook, On the Doorposts of Your House: Prayers and Ceremonies for the Jewish Home (CCAR Press), published by the Reform Movement. It can be recited before eating the Thanksgiving meal.
Creative Source of all being, from You come our blessings from day to day and from year to year. The towering mountains and the shaded forests, the abundant streams and the fruitful earth are Your gift to us. May we preserve this gift for our children, that they, too, may give thanks for the blessings that will be theirs.
For this land so richly blessed, we raise our voice in thanks. Your children have come to these shores from many lands in quest of liberty and new life. Many have been pilgrims to this western world. Here they found a safe haven, soil on which to prosper, and the opportunity to outgrow old fears and superstitions. For our country, for its freedom promised, attained, and yet to be enlarged, for the richness of its natural blessings, and for a growing harmony that we pray will ever increase among its citizens, we give thanks.
God of justice and right, inspire all who dwell in our land with loyalty to the ideals of its founders. Give us wisdom and strength to labor for its well-being, on the firm foundation of justice and truth. Fill us with the spirit of kindness, generosity, and peace, that this land may be a beacon-light to many peoples.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving! Beteiavon!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit
11/17/2021 04:39:16 PM
“MODEH ANI LEFANECHA – I offer thanks to You, our ever-living Sovereign” – traditionally these are some of the very first words we say each morning upon waking up. We start our day by offering thanks, thus reminding ourselves that every day is a blessing and we strive to make the most of it.
I am looking forward to the upcoming Thanksgiving Holiday. Thanksgiving has always been a beloved holiday of American Jews. An American holiday based on the immigrant experience that focuses on food, family, and gratitude – that sounds pretty Jewish to me!
We have one week to get ready for Thanksgiving. I hope you will spend some time over the course of the week and on Thanksgiving Day itself remembering to give thanks. We have so much for which to be grateful – let’s not take all the blessings and good things in our life for granted.
I am grateful for my family and for my Temple Sinai Family – please know how important you are to me and to all of us here at Temple. I especially grateful for our Rabbi Emeritus, Rabbi Edward P. Cohn, for all of his support and for all that he continues to do for our congregation. Rabbi Cohn will be leading services with Cantor Colman and speaking this week at our Shabbat Evening Service on Friday, Nov. 19 at 6:00pm. I hope you will plan on joining us.
I am also grateful for my colleagues who are serving our neighboring houses of worship. We had a wonderful lunch together today. It was a great reminder that we are all in this together. Our congregations will prepare for Thanksgiving by joining together for a Community Interfaith Service next Tuesday, Nov. 23 at 6:00pm at Trinity Episcopal Church. It is always a very special service, and I hope you will make plans to participate along with Cantor Colman.
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit | 11/10/21
11/10/2021 03:00:46 PM
As I look at this week’s calendar, three particular dates jump out at me: Nov. 9, 11, and 13. Let me explain.
November 9 marks the 83rd anniversary of Kristallnacht – the “Night of Broken Glass” in Germany, which began a new level of atrocities committed against the Jews of Germany and the entire region. This was a turning point and a date that many people point to as the beginning of the Holocaust: the systematic genocide of the Jewish people in Europe. There are not many people alive today who lived through and who can remember Kristallnacht. That makes it even more important for us to remember and to retell what happened on that day in 1938 and everything that followed. It is up to us to stand up and to fight against anti-Semitism, as well as prejudice, bigotry, hatred and violence of all types – which are all again on the rise here in our country and around the world. May the memory of Kristallnacht inspire us to act and never to forget.
Tomorrow is Veterans’ Day, another important day on the calendar. It is important for us to thank the brave men and women who make up our armed services and who have sacrificed so much to serve and defend our country. We thank all of those who have served our country and who continue to serve – we are grateful for your commitment and service. May God bless the United States of America and all of our veterans.
And finally, November 13 – the date on which Ezra Terk will become a Bar Mitzvah. Ezra is our first Bar or Bat Mitzvah of 5782 here at Temple, and we are very proud of him and excited for him and his family. All of us here at Temple wish Ezra a hearty “MAZAL TOV!”
I hope everyone is having a good week. I look forward to seeing you for our Wednesday Night Live discussion this evening as we continue our class on “What Jews Believe – Torah and Mitzvot” at 7:00pm over Zoom. Tomorrow I invite you to join me for our Thursday Lunch Discussion over Zoom at 12:30pm. And I would love to see more people join us for Shabbat Services on Friday evening at 6:00pm and Saturday morning at 10:30am.
Take care and I hope to see you soon!
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit | Wednesday 11/3/21
11/03/2021 03:07:33 PM
Wow – November is really here! And even the weather has changed (at least a little). There is a lot happening at Temple this month: services, adult education classes, book & movie clubs, a night at the new Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience with Brotherhood, and much more. Please read through our November/December 2021 Temple Bulletin and our Temple Sinai website for more information and details. Don’t forget: Chanukah begins this year on November 28 – the Sunday evening following Thanksgiving.
I am so pleased that COVID numbers in our community have been on the decline. Thankfully we are moving in the right direction – but we must still do our part and be smart to keep things improving. With the latest announcements from both the Governor and Mayor, we are rethinking our current health protocols and safety policies here at Temple. I am also excited and relieved that hopefully all of our elementary and middle school students will soon be vaccinated. For now, we are continuing to ask everyone to wear a mask inside the Temple building and to practice social distancing. We will keep you updated with changes as they occur. We want to encourage everyone to come back to Temple, and we want you to feel safe and happy in your return. Please feel free to share comments and questions – we would love to hear from you. Stay well, Happy November, and I hope to see you soon!
Don’t forget: Please join me at 7:00pm this evening on Zoom for our next Wednesday Night Live Adult Education Class. We will be discussing: “What Jews Believe – Torah & Mitzvot” for the next three weeks.
Wednesday Wisdom & Wit | Wednesday 10/27/21
10/27/2021 03:30:08 PM
Today is a very important date: it is the third anniversary of the tragic shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA. 11 Jews were murdered in this deadliest act of anti-Semitism in American Jewish History. It is important that we remember those whose lives were taken, those who lost family members, and those who were injured – they are all an important part of our Jewish family here in this country. We mourn their loss as well as the loss of feelings of safety and security and peace. We will remember the victims as we say Kaddish this week at our Shabbat Services: I invite you to join with us as we come together as one community to remember – “we are stronger together.”
I want to share with you the following statement from President Biden:
Statement by President Joe Biden Three Years After the Tree of Life Synagogue Shooting Three years ago, on a peaceful Shabbat morning, a lone gunman stormed into the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood and stole the lives of 11 souls in prayer. Eleven others managed to escape — some with serious physical injuries, others with indelible scars of grief. The attack was the deadliest act of antisemitism in our nation’s history. It was an assault on members of the Tree of Life, New Light, and Dor Hadash congregations, the American Jewish community, and our country. And it was a reminder that hate never goes away, it only hides; and if we give hate oxygen, it can consume. But the days, weeks, and months that followed also revealed the unyielding character of a community: The first responders who rushed into harm’s way. The teenagers who organized a Havdalah vigil for a neighborhood in need. The art teacher who painted hearts and Stars of David in the windows of a local coffee shop. The designer who formed an iconic image that defined a city and inspired a nation with three simple words: stronger than hate. That day and those that followed remind all of us to embrace the better angels of our nature – and to turn pain into purpose. We must always stand up and speak out against antisemitism with clarity and conviction, and rally against the forces of hate in all its forms, because silence is complicity. We must recognize in others our shared humanity and strive to summon unexpected faith in unanticipated moments — in the hope that we might heal and rebuild. That continues to be the work of my Administration — laying out our country’s first-ever comprehensive strategy to address domestic terrorism, signing legislation aimed at strengthening our efforts to counter unlawful acts of hate, taking executive actions to protect houses of worship, and pressing forward with executive and legislative action to reduce all forms of gun violence. This Shabbat, in synagogues around the country, worshipers will sing the timeless words from the Book of Proverbs: Eitz Chayim Hee La’machazikim Bah. “It is a tree of life for those who hold fast to it.” As we mark three years since this heinous attack, we resolve to remember the lives lost and commit to protecting a future worthy of their memories. May the survivors and the families of the victims hold fast to the teachings of their faith and find comfort in the embrace of their community and their country. |