August 18, 2022

Shalom Chaverim (Dear Friends),

Now in our 5th month here in South Palm Beach County, my wife Lori and I continue to settle into our new community and continue to acclimate to our new roles: mine here at the Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center and Lori working remotely for a law firm in Phoenix. In our spare time we continue to make our new house in Boca Raton into our home. Impact storm windows, pavers and barn doors among other construction materials are the talk around our dinner table these days. This week we will receive our second overnight guest when Lori’s older brother comes to visit.

This past week it has been really enjoyable watching our Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center’s Betty & Marvin Zale Early Childhood Learning Center begin the 2022-23 school year. It is so wonderful being together again, seeing smiles on children’s faces and watching them quickly adjust to new teachers and make new friends! We look forward to welcoming our Zale parents next Friday for our Levis JCC Zale’s Kickoff Coffee to celebrate the new school year.

It is also so nice to see the daily progress of the renovations that are being made at the expanding Donna Klein Jewish Academy, where school begins this coming week. Our Jewish—it is so good for our community and for our Jewish future.

This week’s Torah portion is Eikev (Because), in Deuteronomy, the 5th and final book in the 5 books of Moses. In it, G-d warns the Israelites against becoming haughty and in believing that “my power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.” As we teach our children at all levels, we must never forget this most important concept ourselves. As the Jewish High Holidays will soon approach, I would like to suggest that we collectively try to cultivate “an attitude of gratitude” for the many blessings bestowed upon each of us.

Light candles this Friday night at 7:35 pm
Shabbat ends Saturday night at 8:28 pm

Wishing each of you a Shabbat Shalom.

Marty