L’ Shanah Tovah.

It does my heart good to see so many of you here tonight.   So many of you are familiar with Temple Shirat Shalom.  And many of you are joining us here for the very first time.  So indulge me, please.  I need to recognize a few congregants for their hard work.  The hard work that went into these High Holy Days … and the hard work that takes place all year.

First and foremost, I would like to welcome and thank the Rabbi Sally Preisand for accepting our invitation and presiding over these High Holy Day Services.  Rabbi Preisand is a pioneer as the first woman to be ordained a Rabbi by a recognized seminary.  She and Cantor Sussman shared a Bima for several years and became role models for many Jewish professionals.

Thanks to our dear Cantor Sussman.  She has provided our new Temple with wise and caring spiritual leadership.

Thanks to the many congregants who have volunteered their time and talents to make this Temple a true success story.  The Board of Trustees, Religious School teachers, committee chairs, committee members and all of the volunteers who have made a difference in the story of Temple Shirat Shalom.  You know who you are.  You have given your time; expertise, support (both financial and emotional) and your willingness to take a chance on the idea that religion should bring the very best out of you.

And thanks to all of you.  Thank you for showing up.  Showing up is what I’d like to talk about tonight.  Because showing up counts.

Showing up in your life, showing up in your family, showing up in your community and showing up in your religion means to be present in every moment, make your life an authentic one and do good works here on earth to try and make this world a better place.

If we all turned off the computers and cell phones, turned down the sound on the TV and turned UP the energy we put into our lives … for just a while, a short time, we begin to show up in the world.   We hear our own inner voice, we listen to our children and our parents, we seek out our neighbors who may be in need, and we become active in our spiritual community.   We are present and accounted for … we show up!

I cannot give you a roadmap on the best way to show up in your own life.  But I can give you ways in which you can show up in your spiritual community.  You are always invited to Services at Temple Shirat Shalom.  We meet every Friday evening for Shabbat Services at The Swain School in Allentown.  You need not be a member.  And we do appreciate you coming to pray with us.  But I am asking you to take one more step.  If you are not already a member of another synagogue, think about joining Temple Shirat Shalom.   It only enriches the Jewish Community in which you live.  However, if you cannot join our Temple, please consider making a donation with the envelope you will find on your seat.  And finally, if you cannot afford a donation … volunteer your time and talent.  You can be sure that your donation and your time will be put to very good use in our school, in our worship service or in our community.

What I am asking of you is to show up.  Show up and be counted.