Synagogue Updates

Friends,

If you have not already heard, Sean Hughes, the principal of Lower Merion High School died yesterday in a car accident. I know that many in our community might not be on the school email lists and felt it important to share. My oldest daughter is a freshman this year, and while not having gotten to know him well, shared how highly the student body thought of him.  We know that many in our community are hurting right now. We are here to provide support. Our clergy are available. Parents, if you believe that it would be helpful to arrange a group discussion with Rabbi Cooper or to have an individual conversation, please let me know and we will work to arrange it.  Tragedies often spark serious religious questions. Our community is available to connect.

There are numerous Jewish and other texts that discuss how to deal with tragedies and why bad things happen in our world. I am not a scholar and there are people far better suited than myself to answer that question (such as Rabbi Cooper). But one thing that has stood out for me in reading the stories over the past 12 hours – Sean Hughes lived a live of meaning and made a positive impact on those around him – leaving a lasting legacy. We each have the opportunity to make an impact on those around us – it is a lesson that Judith Scarani teaches in our Preschool, Lisa Richman teaches in our Religious School, and that so many of our congregants demonstrate every day.

Two examples, that I was already going to include in this email – our own Steve Schwartz is being honored for his work as a volunteer for JRA. Steve, the co-chair of our own Response to Hunger, is credited with not only being a longstanding volunteer, but that he goes above and beyond by also bringing in bagels each month to support other volunteers. Len and Susan Lodish were honored on Friday by the ALS Association in honor of their 25 years of cycling around the world.

I do want to highlight one TBH-BE event. This Thursday night, we are partnering on zoom with our friends at Mount Herman Baptist Church for Friendsgiving.  With everything going on in the world, it is important to focus on the basic act of getting to know one another with acts of friendship.  I hope you will join us and bring your family.

This is a month to focus on gratitude and acts of loving kindness. In honor of Principal Hughes, I am going to commit to doing Random Acts of kindness each day this week and to try to pause and say a blessing over something new each day. I hope you will join me and together we can all extend Principal Hughes legacy.

If we can do anything to support you or your family, please do not hesitate to let me know. 

Ken
513 503 9559