Date: October 31st 2008

This week we celebrated Rosh Chodesh Marcheshvan. It is hard to believe that only one month ago we were preparing for Rosh Hashana. Now that the Yom Tov season is behind us I wanted to take a few moments to acknowledge some of the people who played a role in the smooth and successful management of our shul.

While most of us were still worrying about summer camps and vacation, Howie Mazin was already well on his way to planning the seating for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. This year we seated well over 400 people for services. Howie managed the process and made sure that everyone was properly and comfortably seated. Thanks.

As you can imagine, planning for the chaggim requires a laser focus to make sure the tefilot are meaningful and fulfilling. Our team of gabbaim, led by George Silfen, spent many hours working out the logistics and running the davening. Between davening (36 kibbudim) and aliyot (44) and countless p’sichot our gabbaim gave of their own tefilot to ensure ours were without distraction. Thanks George. Thanks also to David Berger, Gary Steinmetz, and Ari Nat in the main shul and Jeff Sarasohn, Ariel Rothman and Binyamin Schmutter in the beit medresh. Special mention to our CHO, Yaakov Pultman for directing the Hoshanas.

The seating and tefilot only are part of the picture. Without a successful youth program no one would be able to concentrate on the davening. For the second year in a row Sonya Solomon planned and ran a hugely successful babysitting program. Without a well run kids program the entire shul would quickly descend into a ba’alagan. Thanks.

For the second year in a row, Josh Wisotsky organized our successful shul lulav sale. Thanks.

Thanks to the Silfens and Steinmetzs who sponsored our Simchas Beis Hashoeva, the Newmans for their spectacular Shmini Atzeret Kiddush and the Silfens for the Simchat Torah candy bags.

As I said a number of times over Yom Tov our Kol Nidrei appeal is a key piece of our financial puzzle. David Schwartz played a critical role in framing the appeal. We also must thank, George Silfen and Nachi Troodler also stepped up (literally) and put clear words to the importance of the appeal. Thanks. Also thank you to Cheryl Siegel who turned the mailing around quickly.

During the entire month, our building takes a great deal of wear and tear. This year Leslie Srolovitz really took the lead in managing the facility. Thanks.

This year, more than in the recent past, our youth program embraced the holiday sprit. Managed by the committee headed by Daniel Cukor and Michael Gutlove and a staff led Yehudah Block our children were given many opportunities to properly participate in the Yom Tov spirit. Special mention to the Gilads for managing the Sukkah hop and everything else that they do behind the scenes.

Each year, our Simchas Torah lunch is a special way to end the chag. This year led by Elie Y. Katz, Michael Wimpfheimer and Ari Greene, the luncheon was a huge success. Special thanks (in abstention) to Kevin Cohnen for the sushi. The luncheon team was massive. Many thanks to all of them.

Of course a busy month in any shul calls on its Rabbi much more often. Rabbi Weinberger deserves a great deal of credit and thanks for his advice, guidance and participation in the day to day operation of the shul.

And to every person who took the amud, gave a shiur, hosted a sukkah hop, led a group or did anything to enhance our Yom Tov- thank you.

Truly each and every person who spent any time in our shul over the past month needs to be thanked as well. Without the cooperation of each and every one of our mispallilim, none of this could have gone as smoothly.

Mark Zomick


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