Trying (Again) to Come Back ... Old Habits are Hard to Break ...

Well, it looks like I tried again last year to get back to blogging during the month of Elul ... and so it has been just shy of a year since I added anything to my little corner of the internet.  This is very Jewish, to try again, especially as we prepare ourselves for the High Holy Days.  Let's see if I can do better this year. I'm jumping back in to see what happens.  :) I'm on a Shabbat high tonight.ticonIt was wonderful to see so many people celebrating Shabbat with Temple Israel, West Palm Beach this week (I'm guessing that serving ice cream following services didn't hurt ... lol). I'm attaching some of the photos I showed during services from our time this morning at the WPB Food Pantry, as well as a couple of photos taken at Roosevelt Elementary School, where I was able to drop off our school supply donations this afternoon. grin emoticonsmile emoticongrin emoticonsmile emoticonsmile emo

If you have a second, please take a close look at the Food Pantry pictures and you will notice that there are fresh herbs and some fresh fruit from our members' gardens/yards. I want to thank some special people for acting on my sermon from 3 weeks ago where I talked about "food deserts" and reducing waste from our backyard trees and patio plants by donating them to people in need. The organic basil came from my little living room garden (I've been working hard trying to turn my perpetual "Black Thumb" into a "Grey Thumb," and it's finally working) ... Carol Garrett, Jim Garrett, Valerie Eaton, and Charles Eaton also shared from their backyards as well. 

So, if you have backyard edibles that would otherwise go to waste, please consider dropping them off at Temple Israel on Thursday, 9/17, and we will take them with us to our next visit to the WPB Food Pantry on Friday, 9/18 (we stock the Pantry and volunteer there the 3rd Friday of every month). Also, if you ever want to volunteer with us, please contact the fabulous Ellen Flaum, who coordinates TIWPB's efforts with the Pantry. 

Finally, the other photos also make me proud. We intentionally donate the school supplies we collect to a school right here in our neighborhood, where so many families struggle so much ... 97% of the kids at Roosevelt are on free or reduced lunch. 

Some of the kids don't have proper clothes for school and do receive donations from a local chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women (a wonderful organization you should check out if you don't know them already), but we are proud to be one of Roosevelt's partners for school supplies. 

Imagine being "that little kid" who doesn't have a backpack, like all the other kids. Or, imagine being "that little kid" who doesn't have notebooks or pencils or markers or folders or crayons. I can't imagine the pain "that little kid" must feel, and am so proud to be able to facilitate the mitzvah of so many generous Temple Israel families.
Thank you for allowing me to be your representative in this important work of taking care of those, in our neighborhood, who need our help. It was a spectacular Shabbat. To all the members of Temple Israel, thank you for allowing me to be your Rabbi. 

Shabbat shalom. 

PS ... It was great to introduce our new Religious School Director, Iris Koller, to our community tonight ... she is going to be a great asset to Temple Israel, so make sure to introduce yourself the next time you see her!