Before I go on, I want you all to look at the beautiful view outside. We are inside….looking out. Inside our Temple. Our Temple that is the golden thread that connects us to our Jewish roots.
When my husband, Al, and I moved to Lakeland over 70 years ago, we knew no one in the city. I was 22 years old. We had a toddler son, Amie, and I was pregnant with our daughter Mona. We found Temple Emanuel and were welcomed with eagerness and warmth. From the very beginning we felt we must be a part of the Temple family. We would help it do for the future what it was doing for us and our son and daughter. As our years here lengthened that commitment strengthened.
For an institution such as this to live long into the future, those tending to it now must be prepared to preserve the legacy that preceded them, insuring that it be here to serve generations yet unborn. We can only do that under your stewardship, with involvement and financial help.
We are inside looking out. Now imagine you are outside looking in. What impact would it have if there were nothing to see? No Temple Emanuel. No visible Jewish presence in Lakeland. Only you are empowered to keep that from happening.
In this New Year, my wish for you is a reconnection to our shared past as well as a connection to the many amazing people and experiences we can find here in our synagogue and our community.
