Rabbi Arnold Saltzman
Dear Congregants,
The Jewish New Year is rapidly approaching and there is much preparation and reflection to occupy our minds at this time of the year.
The Jewish New Year, 5776, will begin on the even-ing of September 13th with Rosh Hashanah evening, Rosh Hashanah Day on September 14th. Our beautiful Temple building and location allows us a to have a community gathering with members of our congregation coming from many areas of Maryland. We are proud that we are serving their needs and the needs of the sur-rounding communities. We are grateful to our member-ship who make this possible.
We are growing with a positive outlook for the fu-ture. We are reaching out in the area and exploring what the needs of the community will be in the future, such as an expanded religious school, adult education, pastoral support, an Israel connection, and providing spiritually satisfying services which incorporate beautiful music, stimulating sermons, and Torah insights.
Our social events have been a great highlight of the year with our picnic, as well as membership outreach which is ongoing. We are excited about the future and this coming year. Our membership includes an active Board of Directors who are involved in social action, ef-fective record keeping, funeral practices, making our website effective, getting the news out in a timely way, setting up our congregation for services, reorganizing our Yahrzeit lists so that they are more effective and ac-curate, setting up our Kiddush and sponsoring the Kid-dush, and communication through our e-newsletter with our membership.
We are fortunate to have Jasha Levenson working to make our school a wonderful and welcoming place of learning and prayer. We are grateful to the many people who assist us in these important good works of the con-gregation.
What will this year bring? We have a wonderful re-ligious leadership. The congregation through its Jewish neshoma (soul), has expressed its wishes that I continue to lead as I am able to direct, and bring the experience of a lifetime to assist Sha’are Shalom as it seeks to grow and expand its membership and its services. For this I am grateful!
For the New Year we want to let everyone know that we are a welcoming and evolving congregation. We welcome those who are interfaith couples or families, and we have services which are uplifting for everyone.
We are all grateful to George Gazarek, for the tre-mendous commitment and effort he has made and con-tinues to make in order for Sha’are Shalom to be a vi-brant congregation. We remember with gratitude all those who work to make Sha’are Shalom a better con-gregation.
As we begin the preparation for worship on the Rosh Hashanah, we remind ourselves that Teshuvah, Tefillah, and Tzedakah – Repentance, Prayer, and Acts of Charity and Righteousness – can help us to move forward into the New Year with the sense that we can begin anew, that we can regenerate our ideals which make life worthwhile. Together as a community we can help one another to be stronger.
We’re grateful for the promise of the New Year. Join us in making it a year of life, renewed commitment, and Shalom in the world.
From my family to yours, L’Shana Tova U’Metukah – A Happy and Sweet New Year!
Rabbi Arnold Saltzman and Carol Nissenson