Community Bulletin Board
Letter to GEM
The following letter to the editors was sent to the members of
GEM (Greenport Ecumenical Ministries), and is reprinted here, with permission:
Dear GEMs,
On behalf of Congregation Tifereth Israel and myself, I extend our heartfelt condolences to our Catholic brothers and sisters on the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis. His papacy has accompanied me through most of my rabbinic journey, and when I think of the role of the pope through a rabbinic lens, I think of Pope Francis. He embodied for me the vital and often challenging dialogue between tradition and progress, between conservatism and liberalism — a tension felt across the globe and within all faiths.
In these “interesting times” we live in, being a spiritual leader is no easy task; to lead the global Catholic Church with humility and compassion is a profound responsibility, and one that Pope Francis bore with dignity. I was privileged to attend a 2016 Palm Sunday Mass at the Vatican through Project Genesis, seated just three rows from the tabernacle. Though I did not understand a word he said in the two-and-a-half-hour liturgy, the experience was beyond language. Surrounded by a sea of faithful, I felt as if I were witnessing a moment as close as possible to ancient times in Jerusalem, when the High Priest presided over offerings in the Holy Temple.
Sitting with my yarmulke among a million Catholics, I was deeply aware of how remarkable this moment was — an encounter that would have been unthinkable just a half-century ago.
My interfaith work with Don and Fr. Roy, as well as our growing friendship with the GEM community, continues to affirm the bridges we’ve built and the hope we share. Pope Francis, with his spirit of inclusion and emphasis on shared humanity, continued making such moments possible.
May his memory be a blessing, and may he rest in peace.
Gadi
Letter from Cathy Demeroto
[Excerpted from a letter addressed to the shul membership]
Thank you for your generous gift of $600 to the Parent/Child Plus program. With support from donors like you, CAST can better serve those in need, improve family wellbeing, and strengthen our community. We currently serve nearly 1,500 families seeking to improve their food, housing and economic security. Together, we are transforming lives and making a difference in our community.
Cathy Demeroto,
Executive Director, CAST
It Was A Fun Morning With Books And Bagels, And Bubbles And Babies
Seth Golob brought the fun of PJ Library to our own Andrew Levin Park on Sunday morning, August 11, and kids, parents, grandkids and grandparents gobbled it up, along with bagels and cream cheese, hot and cold drinks, and an assortment of baked goods. Storytime, arts and crafts, and running happily in the park rounded out an event specially planned for children that bodes well for more gatherings of youngsters at our shul. For kids, it was fun doing. For adults, it was fun watching. SMBloom photos
Silent Auction Item Reward. The Ladies Did Lunch With Chef Deborah
Patience was rewarded on a pleasant Wednesday afternoon in August, when the ladies who wanted to do lunch with Chef Deborah Pittorino were able to find a convenient date to cash in on their Silent Auction winning bids. The cooks sliced, diced and chopped, grilled and fried and, as a reward, sat down to a splendid repast of vegetable bisque, breaded porgy fillet, roasted corn and avocado salsa, and Jasmine rice, all overseen and hosted by the chef at her beautiful and welcoming home in Southold.
Adrianne Greenberg photos
Rabbi Gadi’s Birthday celebration, Friday, August 23
Friday, August 23: Erev Shabbat Service, 7:30 p.m., hybrid
Immediately following the Shabbat service please join us for an Oneg Shabbat to celebrate Rabbi Gadi’s Birthday, sponsored by Elaine Goldman.
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