| July & August 2024
Summer….so beautiful with its bright blue sky and wisps of white clouds. A pleasant breeze on a warm day ending with a spectacularly colored sunset, and an inky black night sky filled with twinkling stars. As much as I say autumn is my favorite season, there is something that makes you feel alive in the summer. Maybe it’s the brightness of the sun or the length of a day. I’m looking forward to enjoying the outdoors. Summer reminds me of going out on my dad’s boat and feeling free…just you and the sea. The outboard motor on the boat made it too loud to have a conversation, so you could just sit and enjoy the beauty of the sun dancing on the water, making it look like diamonds sparkling on the surface and admire the sailboats gliding by with ease, as we moved away from land and headed out on Long Island Sound. Every year I still have this yearning to get out on the Sound at least once. You can’t go out on the Sound without thanking G*d for all the beauty surrounding you. It’s always breathtaking. If I can’t get out on the Sound, Avery Point, and Harkness Park are a close second. I love leading outdoor Shabbat Services in the summer at Harkness Park. What better place to celebrate Shabbat than surrounded by the beauty that G*d created. We are so blessed to live in this area. Well, as I said, summer is here and so are Lay Led Summer Shabbat Services! Our Lay-leaders carefully choose what to put into the framework of the service liturgy, in order to create a meaningful Shabbat experience for you. They choose readings, Shabbat poetry, music, how the d’var Torah will reflect the Torah portion, and who will help with the honors. I hope that you will come and join us for Shabbat Services over the summer.
Here is the lineup of Summer Service Lay-Leaders this year. Just a reminder that all Summer Shabbat Services begin at 7:00 p.m. July 5: Scott Wolfe, Rabbi Emeritus Aaron and Karen Rosenberg, and friends July 12: Jonathan and Armi Rowe July 19: Hazzan Sherry @ Harkness Park, Weather Permitting July 26: Emma Zelkin, Jo Michaelson, Susan Rosen, Michele Snitkin, Debra Wool, Ann Cohn Aug. 2: Barbara Senges, Norma Hollandersky, Stan Bloustine Aug. 9: Hazzan Sherry @ Harkness Park, Weather permitting Aug.16: Sam and Roberta Winograd Aug.23: Tom Smith I am so appreciative to have so many people interested in leading a Shabbat Service over the Summer. Many thanks to all of you that signed up. Thank you to Jeff Elkin for chanting Torah and to the Temple Emanu-El Band for bringing such ruach to our Shabbat Service on June 14. Relax and enjoy whatever you do this summer!
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