At last Friday’s Shabbat Service, the Sussman-Vaida family gathered with friends and congregants to bless the engagement of their son, Jeremy, to Meidan Keidar. Jeremy and Meidan will be married in Israel in 2015.

These are special moments in a young couple’s life. They are also notable events for our congregation. When a couple comes to Temple for a blessing, they are committing themselves to a new life together rich with Jewish custom, culture and tradition. The congregation rejoices in these events knowing that Judaism will play a strong role in the couple’s future.

Cantor sermonized that the Jewish people frequently mark the special moments in life by the events on the Jewish calendar. This helps keep the memory of such an event near and dear to our hearts. Whatever the event it is that you wish to remember; when it happens at Temple it will always be an unforgettable experience.

We wish Jeremy and Meidan all of the best in their new life together. We are grateful that their engagement blessing created a precious memory that both they and our congregation will cherish for many years to come.

More on Shabbat Services . . .
We thank the Sussman-Vaida family for performing Shabbat Honors and sponsoring our Oneg to celebrate the engagement of Jeremy and Meidan. We would also like to thank the Miller Family for co-sponsoring the Oneg honoring the memory of Ellen’s Father, Gilbert Faigan. We are grateful for Marcia Berkow for giving us news from the Board of Trustees and, as always, we thank Cantor Sussman for guiding us through peaceful prayer and song each and every Shabbat Service.

With a storm on the horizon just about every other day, it is hard to maintain a normal schedule. Showing up for work, school, Services and other regularly scheduled events is a challenge. However, “showing up” for your life, no matter what the weather, should never be rescheduled.

Showing up can be the most important thing you do in your life. It is making a commitment to your spouse, children, parents, friends and neighbors to be present in each and every moment you spend with them. Being attentive to their needs and listening to them with an open heart, lending a hand whenever necessary.

Here at Temple Shirat Shalom we are blessed with a congregation that continues to “show up.” A Brotherhood who offers help whenever necessary is now joined by a Sisterhood working to help with any and all congregational needs. These two organizations are the foundation of our Temple.

If you are not yet a part of either Brotherhood or Sisterhood, please consider joining. There are many ways you can become involved, lending your expertise or support for the numerous activities that are planned. These activities benefit our community, our neighbors, our families and our congregation.

For more information on how you can “show up” for Temple Shirat Shalom, please contact Don Bastian for Brotherhood and Liz Kamp or Donna Iorio for Sisterhood.
Be present in your congregation, your community and your life.

Where do we find God’s Blessings? As Jews, we find God’s Blessings in everything we do. Looking out your window today, wherever you are, you will see God’s handiwork which is a blessing all its own.

If you are looking out your window and gazing upon your backyard in the Lehigh Valley, all you see is SNOW! And as much as this latest winter storm has disrupted your life, it is also a blessing in disguise.

Frustrated as you may be due to school closings and delays, icy conditions on the roads, cancelled events and work deadlines that cannot be achieved, it is up to each of us to look for the silver lining…to find God’s Blessing.

Perusing through FaceBook and Instagram, you will find pages showing one beautiful snowy picture after another. Pictures of children and dogs playing in the snow and tree branches bending beautifully under the weight of icicles are forever captured and saved for future generations to behold. This is one of God’s latest Blessings. These are snapshots in time that we may have otherwise forgotten.

Catching up on the latest book, household chore, craft project or cooking something warm and comforting for our family is now doable…and should be enjoyed! So take this gift of time and use it to your advantage. It’s a special gift from God…one of God’s Blessings.

A spark of Judaism lives within all of us, as Cantor Sussman explained to the hardy congregants who made their way to services. Cantor spoke of recent and past examples of how that spark came alive and vibrant among Jews who were facing particularly challenging circumstances – at the end of their lives, during illnesses, and when they have simply forgotten what being a Jew meant.

This spark comes alive most often when the Sh’ma is said or when an aliyah is spoken. While years or decades may have passed, how many of us experience the ease with which the Sh’ma comes from our lips? How many of us still remember the first line or two of our Bar or Bat Mitzvah Torah portion or our Haftorah portion?

It is during times of joy and sadness that this spark enlightens us from within and gives us pause to recall what we’ve had all along…the proud awareness of being a Jew. If your spark has dimmed a bit, please attend a Friday Shabbat service or attend a TSS event and let your spark be renewed.