Message from the Rabbi

The months of January and February were busy months at Congregation Sons of Israel. Between the mountains of snow, we had some fun and some serious events, both well-attended and appreciated. We commemorated Martin Luther King Day in the Chambersburg community with an interfaith event at the First Church of God, as well as with a movie at the shul about some of the events of the Civil Rights era in America. As well, I participated in a panel discussion at Shippensburg University with some of my fellow clergy members on Martin Luther King Day itself.

We looked forward to spring with our annual Tu B’Shvat Seder, which was well-attended and fun! We ate fruits and nuts, sang songs, and talked about the meaning of the holiday while enjoying each other’s company. February also brought copious amounts of snow to Chambersburg and the eastern seaboard. The beautiful blanket of white pushed thoughts of spring far from reality, and kept many of us at home, myself included. Not to be defeated, Sons of Israel launched its very own Facebook group, which can be found at www.facebook.com.

By the time you read this newsletter, you will have (I hope) enjoyed our festive and feisty celebration of Purim, which took place on Sunday morning, March 7th. Starring our very own Religious School students, Gillian Altfeld, Sarah Leonard, and Brittney Maizie, and with a supporting cast of adult members of our community, highlights of Megillat Esther were presented with irreverence and mirth.

Shabbat Across America took place on Friday night, March 5th, and featured a vegetarian potluck dinner coordinated by Paula Smith and Andrea Mazie. The dinner was so well-enjoyed by all present that we agreed to have another Potluck Shabbat Dinner soon. It will take place on Friday night April 23rd at 7 PM.

The weekend of March 19th – 21st will be a busy one. Saturday, March 20thwill be a Potluck Dessert Havdalah Movie Night, while on Sunday, March 21st, we will have a program called "Lead Your Own Seder". This program will be like a model seder, but will be geared to adults as well as to kids.

Congregation Sons of Israel will again host, together with the United Churches of Chambersburg, the 33rd Annual Holocaust Memorial Service. I have been working with members of the local clergy to plan this event, which will include participation by some of our Religious School children, adults, and members of the Chambersburg community at large. The service will be held at the synagogue on Sunday, April 11th at 3:00 PM, and promises to be a moving one; I hope that you will be able to attend.

Sadly, in the last few months, two of our members lost loved ones: Andrea Maizie suffered the loss of Susanna Schvartz, the beloved grandmother who raised her, and Lynne Newman’s mother, Annabelle, died in February. We wish them our heartfelt condolences on these grievous losses. Members of the Sons of Israel community who wish to commemorate the death or yahrzeit of their loved ones can be in touch with me at rabbi@sonsofisraelchambersburg.org to contribute towards a fund to increase the number of shiva books that we have, so that at shivas, funerals and memorial services, we have enough books for the congregation to use.

Members of the synagogue have expressed an interest in learning how to lead Shabbat and other kinds of worship services. If you are interested in learning this skill as well, please let me know, or feel free to contact me to ask questions about it. Adult education, Torah study and Religious School continue to be chock full of learning opportunities – contact me for more info.

Kol tuv,

Molly Karp, Student Rabbi

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