January 2016

Happy New Year! After three months of maternity leave, I am excited to return to Sha’arei Shalom and resume my activities as your rabbi!

Although Rosh Hashana happened three months ago, the secular new yer brings another opportunity for goal setting and new year’s resolutions. If you are like me, most of your resolutions are personal – go to the gym more, be more patient, etc. This year, I invite you also to think about what might be communal new year’s resolutions. What can we do this year to live more fully as a community, and how can our community strengthen our capacity to live fully as individuals?

Perhaps selfishly, as Jeremy and I explore parenthood, my New Year’s resolution for our congregation is that we can spend some of this year learning from each other about what it means to create Jewish family and community. This Friday night, I will be sharing reflections on what I have learned so far in my three months of motherhood. I hope it will be the beginning of an ongoing conversation about our understandings of self, family, work, and community. I know I have a lot to learn from you, and look forward to a year of rich learning and dialogue.

Blessings,
Rabbi Margie