Dear CTI members and friends,

We have just completed the first High Holiday season with our new spiritual leader, Rabbi Robert Wolkoff, and our returning Cantor, Ze’ev Weinstein, leading services and related activities. Many of you joined us in person and online for this special time, and the enrichment goes both ways — us to you, and you to us.  Todah, todah, todah!

Also, I am especially grateful to the many people who worked so hard to make it all happen. Thanks to this year’s new Board of Directors, all the committee chairs and members, tech wizards Andrea Blaga and Steve Benthal, the Break-the-fast slice-and-dice crew led by Adrianne Greenberg, Madelyn Rothman and Joanna Paulson, plus Wayne Sailor on our front door, providing an umbrella, greetings and security, all at the same time. Thanks to our Security Committee chair Stephen Meshover for staying on top of all that, even from afar, and the Southold Police Department for the patrol car parked in front of our shul during the Yom Kippur services. There are many more to thank, I’m sure, so if I’ve left anyone out, please forgive me in this time of forgiveness. As has been said, “It takes a village,” and our shul community is surely a village within a village.

I know I speak for Rabbi Wolkoff and all the members at CTI when I say that we are looking forward to new and exciting things that this new year will bring us in our gem of a synagogue on the beautiful North Fork of Long Island.

Shanah Tovah.

Suzan E. Lipson

The following message was delivered by our shul president on Rosh Hashanah morning,

and is reprinted here, with permission.

Good morning and Baruch Haba.  For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Suzan Lipson. It is my privilege to stand before you this morning as the newly elected president of Congregation Tifereth Israel. Welcome members and guests alike to our High Holiday services.

And welcome to the year 5787 — the number of years counted as Jewish history.  Klal Israel Am Chai! We live.This morning I am honored to share the bimah with our new spiritual leader, Rabbi Robert Wolkoff, and returning Cantor, Ze’ev Weinstein. Thank you for leading these special services.

If you had asked me a year ago if I would be standing here today, I would not have said impossible, but improbable for sure. As you look around, you will see members who have been here many more years than I have, members who have served in this role and other leadership positions many times during those many years.  I am fairly new to the community.  I did not come  up through the ranks, so to speak; even my journey to Judaism an unlikely one, but “Hineni” — here  I am and so proud to be counted among you.

This could apply to the shul as well.  From humble beginnings in this particular spot, and to still  be here after 125 years must be a miracle of sorts. A year ago at this time our beloved shul’s future was uncertain but with the strong leadership of past president Sara Bloom and her Board of Directors, we have not only survived but thrived.  Who could have known then that this historic synagogue on the far East End of Long Island would be in the middle of a great transformation of rebirth and renewal?  The same way we came out of COVID — Mitzraim, a narrow place — we have surfaced from a long year of trial and uncertainty. Your presence here today is surely an indication of the great Teshuvah — turn and return that is taking place within these walls and our greater community. We have faced, answered and overcome many challenges this year, and we have accomplished so much.

Our search committee, led by Chuck Simon, did an incredible job working within the system set up by the Conservative Movement’s Rabbinical Assembly to choose and hire our amazing new full-time rabbi to lead us into a bright future. Our Renovation Committee, led by Debra Riva acting as project manager, has just completed long-awaited and necessary renovations to the shul’s house where Rabbi Wolkoff will reside. Also in the works is a long-anticipated refresh of the sanctuary, including lowering the bimah to make it safe  and accessible to all. On the drawing board is an upgrade to this room, where the  community gathers for Oneg Shabbats,  Kiddush lunches, and special programs for Pesach, Tu B’shvat, and these High Holidays. We are also exploring a technology upgrade to bring our pre-COVID audio/video system consistent with today’s technology standards.

This year, our Ritual and Programming Committees have instituted Friday night programs that have ranged from a one-act playreading to a talk on local beekeeping. Our board is committed to developing programs of interest and fun for the shul family and the community at large. It is our mission to service not only North Fork Jewry and their  families, but also to provide needed information and aid in our midst. The Tikkun Olam Initiative, with Veronica Kaliski as chair, has added much value to the most vulnerable in our community. Initiatives have included a food drive titled “Cans For CAST” during the High Holidays, (notice the red collection barrel at our front door), a toy drive in December, a schools supplies drive in August, bilingual books, and chickens for CAST families in December and April.

Also this year, with the annual Journal and Garden Party, organized by Madelyn Rothman, Nancy Torchio and Rena Wiseman, we re-instituted the Citizen of the Year award, choosing Linda Kessler, a well-known Greenport business owner as our community honoree, joining Ann Hurwitz, our synagogue honoree as a to reach out and take an active role in the greater Greenport, Southold Town and North Fork community life.

Now that I’ve bragged about our accomplishments a bit, let’s talk about why we are all here today.  What does it mean to be a part of this historic shul? What does it mean that we have all made the pilgrimage here today?  Why were we drawn here?  Why do we join a synagogue, become members or donate during  the High Holidays?  This year, we are celebrating a milestone birthday. On July 4, we all celebrated the 250th anniversary of our country’s founding, and this year, our shul is exactly that by half.  Think about it, 125 years in this beautiful spot on the North Fork of Long Island. Those early founders could not have imagined what this place would be like now, but we can experience their commitment to love of  G-d, country and community inside the walls of our shul.  They built this little gem, and we have the opportunity and obligation to appreciate it, use it, and preserve it for future generations.  L’dor v’dor — before you leave today, step into the building’s historic sanctuary and pause, sit, take a quiet moment to notice the Yahrzeit Memorial Boards lit up for these Days of Awe. You will feel the history of this place. Some of the names are descendants of the original families with the vision to create Congregation Tifereth Israel. In 1892, they came together for the first time as a congregation on Rosh Hashanah, the same holidays we are observing today.  HaMako — this is the place, the place where we are called, but called for what and why?  Why did  those early families have to build this place, anyhow?

Again, I would say, l’dor v’dor.  There once was a Temple in Jerusalem. It lives in our collective memory, and many of its functions live on in our traditions and observances today. In this Temple, our Temple here, we duplicate the ancient ritual of  “going up” to the Torah for an aliyot, first the Kohen, then the Levi, then Yisrael. We embody that ritual here today and at every Torah service.

Several weeks ago, Rabbi Wolkoff shared with us an explanation of the tithes and offerings (ma’aser and terumah) that formed a structured system of agricultural and monetary giving to support the Temple, the priesthood, and the vulnerable. Since the destruction of the Temple and the dispersion of the Jewish people, the agricultural tithes no longer apply; however the tradition of tithing financial earnings  — known as ma’aser kesafim — survives as a widely practiced custom of giving 10% to charity (tzedakah), Torah education,  or synagogue needs.

If you will indulge me for just another moment…  One of the things I discovered on my long journey to here is that as many Jews as there are on the planet is the number of ways there are to be Jewish. And yes, all are valid — Ha Shem made us all — individual, unique, one of a kind and, in each one of us, a pintele yid. The pintele yid? “What is that?” you might ask. Literally translated from Yiddish, it means “the little point of a Jew” or “the Jewish spark.” It’s our Jewish soul. We’ve talked about Kohens, Levites and Israelites, the Biblical tithes and support for the Temple. But I want  to talk about something else.  Something  much  more personal to me.

I love this place. It is my pintele yid that drew me here and to Judaism. This is haMakom — the place, the place we are called to be even if it’s just one day a year — this day.

So let me say, you are all welcome here, wanted here, needed parts of the fabric of this piece of cloth that is unique to THIS place. We are Kohen, Levi, Yisrael together going up, waiting to hear the blast of the shofar, the collective call to awaken

 

Be a part, help us do the things we’ve always done, support the Temple, the Kohen, Levi, Yisrael, the widow, the orphan, and the stranger. It’s all us.  Help with upkeep, renovations, new programs and project. Put cans in the CAST barrel, help our Tikkun Olam group give more books, chickens, fresh produce to the needy in our greater community.

            Most of all, though, what we desire in this New Year is your presence. Please continue to join us anytime and in any way you are able.

            Thank you for listening. Shanah Tovah.