May 2020

Dear members,

I hope that you and all your loved ones are well and doing as best as possible given the difficulties we are experiencing with this pandemic. I am aware of some of the challenges that our members are facing along with other members of the community.

As with many of my fellow rabbis I am glad to contribute to the wellbeing of our respective synagogues and temples. I have decided to tithe a portion of my income back to the temple some 10% each month. I am aware of the ongoing generosity of many of our members currently and in times past to keep our congregation solvent. I ask you to consider doing whatever you can with respect to tsedaka, Jewish and communal. Carrie and I have included in our giving backpack lunches for children. In the past few weeks, we are also glad to contribute to American Friends of Magain David Adom (Israel’s version of the Red Cross) for Israel which also has many sufferers and deaths from this pandemic. We also favor the ASPCA. Those commercials have gotten to us! As antisemitism has become more prevalent, we also give to the Southern Poverty Law Center which thwarts prejudice nationwide.

Should you wish to help out in this regard or to help some of our members that I am aware of who are strained financially do contribute to the rabbi’s discretionary fund which is monitored by our president and our treasurer.

I do hope that you have been able to catch up with us through Facebook live services regularly offered on Friday afternoon at 5:30 and our Torah study at 10 o’clock Saturday morning. The latter Torah study is through Skype and you can easily get on my contact list which is ezrabbi. We are preparing for a virtual Bar Mitzvah for Reuben Falcon this mid-May. It too will be offered by Facebook live. Mazal Tov Reuben!

Once more thinking of you and looking forward to the time when we can greet one another in person.

Prayers for our people! Prayers for our nation! Prayers for the world!

B’ Shalom
Rabbi Yossi Liebowitz D.D.