Sadly the Summer is over. :-(

But that means everything else is back at full volume. Rabbi Darnov is back on the bema and School is starting up (RTPV on 9/10). The Holidays are coming soon. As I write this we are a mere 3 weeks away. The Choir has been practicing. They will do their deed as usual, to fill the sanctuary with song and sounds of the holiday, to be a background or foundation for your voice to join in. As in much that we do here, it is your voice that we truly seek.

We ended the summer this year with a great temple BBQ. About one third of our member families were represented. The weathermen who had predicted 70% chance of precipitation got it wrong. Even the RTPV Bicycle Club managed to enjoy a morning ride, in spite of the forecast. Special thanks to Man-ching Tom for organizing this, for Sisterhood for sponsoring it (sisterhood always comes through, perhaps they could change their moto to “when there’s a bill there’s a way”), special thanks to James Keogh who manned the grill, to Ashlyn Levinson for leading the kids in crafts, to Phil Hurowitz, Bonnie Lord and Tia Levinson, to the temple board and all those who came. A very special thanks to Emile Menasche’ who once again very graciously gave of his time to play his guitar and fill our house with music and song.

Free food, music and shelter with temple friends, how could you go wrong.

This year, the Holidays will be observed at The Temple. Our house. Yes, we are breaking the tradition of the past dozen years or more years. We will be holding our high holiday services in our own house. Our sanctuary may be smaller, but at this time so are we. I will miss the team work of past years when a dozen of us, young and old, gathered to move our “tabernacle” as in the days of old, then to set up GMC’s sanctuary with our books, religious articles and adornments and our arc, keyboard, microphones and sound system. While I will miss the teamwork, I won’t miss the work (move, set up for RH, restore, pack, set up for YK, restore, move back--OY) . This year with a little adjustment as we get accustomed to hosting our own holiday services we might just find ‘how nice it is to be home for the holidays’.

I hope to see you there (I mean ‘here’).

Ed Rodman