Passover Message – TAE President

Apr 8, 2020 | COVID-19, Temple Event

Dear Temple Adat Elohim Community,

I hope this email finds you safe and well at home with your loved ones. Many of you have noticed, as have I, how wonderfully our clergy and professional staff have sought and continue to find innovative ways to keep our community engaged.

ECC Director Donna Becker and the amazing ECC teachers are providing multiple opportunities every day for children and parents to stay engaged: classroom morning meetings, circle-time, flannel boards, Story Time, Shabbat Star fun activities, as-well as pre-recorded Virtual Tot Shabbat with Cantor Shukiar and Rabbi Diamond on Friday mornings.

Director of Education Marcy Goldberg, and the staff of the TAE Religious School, continue to engage with the Sunday, upper grades and Confirmation classes, offering Hebrew games, videos, music, and stories. Teachers engage students in individual Zoom classes and have been sharing a variety of resources with parents and kids. B’nai-mitzvah students continue to work with their tutors to perfect their Torah portions and liturgy skills.

Rabbi Diamond and Cantor Shukiar continue to hold live-streamed Shabbat services, daily Zoom sessions, and we have had over 80 volunteers reaching out to check on the welfare of members. Many households interacted and celebrated last week’s Shabbat on Facebook Live, immediately followed by a fun, virtual oneg, albeit without the babka. Don’t forget to join us for our very first Virtual Community Passover Seder this Thursday at 5 p.m.

Aliza Goland and the office staff have worked tirelessly throughout, helping to coordinate ECC, Religious School, clergy, and lay leaders’ efforts and communications, checking in on staff and members, and working with multiple committees to minimize unnecessary expenses and investigate recently legislated avenues by which we may ease the financial challenges we face.

This is a very dynamic situation, but Temple Adat Elohim is fortunate to have members who are experts in various fields, such as finance, law, human resources, building management, etc. We are closely watching our income streams (member dues, ECC tuition, Religious School tuition) and reducing expenses where possible (ALL discretionary, security, and unnecessary spending has been frozen). We are in the process of applying for relief provided by the recently passed Paycheck Protection Program and will continue to learn about other options to pursue.

Among the guiding philosophies of Temple Adat Elohim is the notion that we are a single, caring community. We pride ourselves on supporting one another, and our intention is to continue to support our employees financially by continuing full pay and benefits for as long as possible. When you think of Temple Adat Elohim and what this community means to you, please be as generous as you can. The coming months will be more challenging before they begin to ease. Your continued support is critical to our efforts. Please keep yourselves safe and healthy. We look forward to being together again.

Wishing you joy and many blessings at Passover and beyond. Chag Sameach!

Juli Rycus, President