When the first “Star Trek” episode debuted on TV on Sept. 8, 1966, a disembodied voice proclaimed the mission with a now-iconic phrase, “to boldly go where no man has gone before”… Language purists raged against the split infinitive, and feminists against the gender-specific, yet the series flourished on television, on film, and through multiple captains of the Starship Enterprise and its descendants.

Similarly, our shul has flourished for more than a century, built on a mission to boldly go where Jews had not settled before, and to establish a spiritual home for them on the North Fork of Long Island. Like the Enterprise, whose initial model rattled the crew into space, our shul began as a simple prayer sanctuary around which we have a building that now serves a large population of Jews as well as our North Fork neighbors and visitors, all under the leadership of our own perceptive captains — the presidents and directors who, through 120 years, have carried forward the vision of the founders.

 

A bold future

In preparation for the upcoming High Holy Days this year, we will look inward and reflect on who we are and what we can be. And as we return to our newly-reopened synagogue building this season, let us look at what we have and reflect on what more we can do. To that end, we ask that you consider making a traditional Yom Kippur contribution to our shul — to be a part of the bold vision for a bold future that will serve you, your children, and the generations to come. The shul’s High Holiday Matching Gift Campaign is the pathway to the future — a bold future.

The moment you sign your name, you can stand proudly with the legions that came before you, those visionaries who foresaw what we have today. Help us pave the way to those who will call you a visionary — for stepping up to ensure a bold future for our spiritual home, its mission, and the Jewish families to come.

Please send your check for the High Holidays Matching Gift Campaign to Congregation Tifereth Israel, P.O. Box 659, Greenport, NY 11944, or visit the shul’s website (www.tiferethisraelgreenport.org) and click on the donate tab. For safeguarding the longevity of our spiritual home, the shul family thanks you.