Last Month

	Rabbi
	Amy R. Bernstein
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This month we begin a new Jewish and a new academic year. I am always deep in preparation for both as rabbi and as teacher as summer winds down. But it has been nearly a decade since the start of the academic year has had real personal implications for me. This year Eliana Fay begins Religious School - her first experience of the classroom. Peg and I are so glad that her first 1 contact with the magic of formal i instruction will be at Temple I Israel. We are so grateful that 1 there are wonderful people ready' I to love, teach, guide and encourage our children as they learn together what it means to be part of the Jewish People. Our teachers teach by example as , much as they do by-instruction. They teach with every smile, every loving holding of boundaries, every touch and every moment of time and attention they so generously give. As we begin the school year let us be sure to thank all of our teachers for all that they do and for all that they are to our students.

We are in discussion about our , identity and our Jewish affiliation. Whatever we decide in December in terms of affiliation, what we have clarified for ourselves is that we are no longer self-identifying as Reform / Conservative. For many years Reform and Reconstructionist congregations have celebrated Simchat Torah and Shemini Atzeret on the same day. This

year we will honor our Reform identity and celebrate Simchat Torah on Friday night and Saturday, October 13 and 14. Since this holiday falls on Shabbat I hope to see many of you there...

When I negotiated a second three-year contract with Temple Israel six years ago, we agreed that I would take one Shabbat service off every month. For many reasons (including wanting to grow both the Friday night and Saturday morning service

attendance) I never actually took that Shabbat time off. This new 'Jewish year 1 will honor my commitment to spend one

Shabbat evening or morning a month with my family. If you are ready to learn to lead a Friday night or Shabbat morning service or are willing to give a talk on a Friday night please call Kathy. We continue to take great pride in our lay leaders and in the rich service experience they (you!) create.

This year promises to be one of reflection, discussion and vision, a year of clarification, passion and renewal. Please join us in our lively Jewish conversation as we do what Jews have done for millennia - define who we are and what meaningful Jewish life ought to look like today.

Updated September 12, 2006