Does anyone else feel like this year has flown by? It has been a year of highs and lows. We continue to wrestle with problems of the pandemic. Circumstances regarding security continue to be in process and progressing. All our committees have actively continued with their programming.

In this hurry up, fast-paced time in which we live, I attend Temple Beth Sholom Shabbat morning services regularly. It’s the place to come to pause and escape the craziness of the outside world. Also, it could be the place that you come to, to have some fun, do something different, connect with friends. All of us are the reason we do what we do. We are the reason that this congregation has been here for 75 years.

Being President these past two years has been both challenging and rewarding. Most challenging, being the ongoing Pandemic and Security issues. But, with the efforts of the Pandemic Committee and Safety and Security Committee, chaired by Morrow Long, we have made important progress. The electronic hands-free equipment has been installed in the Ladies Room and Men’s Room. From the outset of the Pandemic, we knew we needed to transition from in-synagogue services to electronic media. With Jeff Krupel and his Committee’s vision and a large donation from Jimmy Shure, our whole broadcasting system became a reality. David Margolis came day and night to operate the system and make improvements to make sure minyans were Zoomed, so congregants could say Kaddish. Anyone wanting to join his committee, would be greatly appreciated. Our Ark doors were beautifully restored through the efforts of Shira Rosenblatt and others.   The culmination of Temple Beth Sholom’s 75th Anniversary Celebration was so successful on so many levels through the efforts of Hinda Piscitelle. This was a two-year long project that kept us connected to our past and continuing to our present. The Staying Connected Committee has touched many hearts since its inception, chaired by Judy Rolnick. If you look around our Social Hall and hallways, you can see that Dale Spaner has been working hard and putting up all that Judaic art that has been in back corners of the shul. It really warms the large room. We have resumed Kiddushim with Eta Kaplan and Andrea Smith at the helm. Our Hebrew School continues to flourish under the new leadership of Beth Messina, Gail Raucher and Sandra Steiner.

Through it all, we have not only survived, but thrived quite well under the various circumstances and will continue to do so under Lauren’s coming leadership. I would like to genuinely thank you all for your support during my Presidency.

And if you are feeling overwhelmed or hurried, just come in to shul!

Stay safe and stay healthy.

Joan Levine

TBS President