In a couple of weeks, at our annual Journal Dinner-Dance, we will celebrate Tifereth Israel’s 115th anniversary. The event will be held this year on Sept. 11, at the Sound View Restaurant. We will see many familiar faces, and we will remember those who are no longer with us. One of the strengths of our Jewish community in general, and one of the main reasons for its survival, is our memory. The People of the Book have a collective memory, and we continue to document historic events, both sad and happy. We recently commemorated the tragedy of the 9th of Av — the saddest day on our calendar, and just a few days later, on the 15th of Av, we celebrated the Holiday of Love — the happiest day on our calendar according to the Talmud’s Tractate Taanit (p. 30).

The Torah constantly commands us to remember many things. One example occurs in Parashat Vaetchanan in the Book of Deuteronomy when Moses commands the people to not forget what their eyes saw and to not forget what they learned from Mount Sinai. The commentator, Kli Yakar, says that if people forget their learning, they risk their lives because then God will forget them. The verse in Hosea (4:6) confirms that: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you, that you shall be no priest to Me; seeing you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” Tractate Taanit then concludes that only a person who mourns for Jerusalem will be able to see its rebuilding. Like a good friend who will not invite you to his wedding if you didn’t visit him when he was sitting Shiva. If you do not take the time to acknowledge the low point of the destruction of the Temple — the house of God — you will not be able to experience the heights of the holiday of love.

As you know, our Journal Dinner-Dance this year will take place on Sunday, Sept.11. Before we can rejoice in our anniversary celebration, we will take the opportunity to remember those sorrowful moments 15 years ago. We will also welcome representatives of the first responders, and acknowledge our appreciation to them for the work they did then and continue to do now. Then we can move forward, can aspire to build closer relationships in our community and among the greater human family.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our president, Alan Garmise, and his wife, Rochelle, this year’s synagogue honorees, for their hard work and energizing spirit. This is the first year Tifereth Israel is honoring a sitting president, but as I see it, since Alan never sits, the old tradition is maintained. Needless to say, my work as a rabbi can be done effectively only if there is an effective support system. With my background in organizational work, I recognize the quality of Alan’s labor and his dedication to our purpose. Of course, Alan would not be able to be an effective president without Rochelle’s support and her willingness to share the burden. One of the most important ideals Alan and Rochelle embody is an understanding of the words of Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: “In Judaism, power must always be subordinate to purpose…the why matters more than the how.”

Please join us on Sept. 11 as we remember, build and celebrate.

—Rabbi Gadi Capela