Theodor Herzl once said,
אם תרצו, אין זו אגדה; ואם לא תרצו, אגדה היא ואגדה תישאר
“If you will it, it is no dream, but if you don’t will it, it will always remain a dream.”
The State of Israel, for millennia, had been nothing other than a dream. And now we are on the precipice of a new milestone. This month Israel will be turning 74. And in anticipation of Israel@75, we will be rolling out a year of celebrating the Jewish homeland.
We have formed an Israel@75 committee who will be leading us in a year of programming that will help highlight Israel and our connection to this special place. In particular, we will be focusing on the People, the Land, and the State of Israel and how we relate to these three areas. If you are interested in joining the committee just let me know. There will be an open meeting at 7:30pm on May 25th for anyone who is interested. It also brings me great joy to tell you that our Emeritus Rabbi, Bennett Miller will be joining me in planning this yearlong celebration. I can think of no one better to help us dream about all the ways of bringing Israel into our Temple family.
I also want to encourage you to save the date for November 2023 as both Rabbi Miller and I are inviting you to join us on a congregational trip to Israel. The hope is to have two buses, one for people who have been before and one for those who are going for the first time. The trip will take place over NJEA week so families with school aged children will be able to join us as well. This will be trip of a lifetime as we celebrate with a milestone of a lifetime. We will explore all that Israel has to offer – from its natural beauty and beaches, world-renowned cuisine, inspiring leaders and innovators, and exciting nightlife! And we will be celebrating it with Jews all over the world. Join us to celebrate Israel@75 together in Israel for the first time, the fifth time or the twentieth time! Call the temple office to let Nancy know that you are interested in traveling with us.
