Rabbi Weill's Blog

Dear Friends:

One benefit we receive when we join a community is support during important moments. For many Jews, one such important moment is kaddish recitation for loved ones. We are extremely fortunate to hold daily services, which allow us to recite kaddish with the support of a minyan.

Sometimes we, like most congregations, do not get a minyan. The Religious Services Committee has and will continue to work on how to boost minyan attendance. Our "toranut" letters should help in this regard. I encourage you to respond favorably to these letters by attending our daily evening service at least a couple of times during your assigned week. If you cannot make it during that week, just come some other time.

There are also times when we do not make a minyan, even though congregants are in the building during service time. If we are in the building and the minyan is short by a few people, we should pause what we are doing and head into the chapel. Congregants who need to recite kaddish are understandably disappointed when they cannot do so, even though fellow congregants are so close by.

Being there for each other, doing for each other -- this is the way of communities. Just as you and I hope others will be there for us during our important moments, we in turn ought to be there for others.

Kol tuv -- all good things -- and Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Jeffrey Weill