Torah Project – October 1998
Dear Friends,
Ed Caplan and I are happy to tell you that the Centennial Torah Project has been an unqualified success. The dedication of our new Torah will take place during Friday night services on October 9th at 8:00. Make plans to be there for this very special event. Rabbi Janet Marder, Regional Director of the Pacific-Southwest Region of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, will be joining our congregation that evening. On Sunday morning, October 4, during religious school, our scribe, Rabbi Shmuel Miller will write the last letters in our torah scroll. This will be a very exciting event and will pave the way for a special dedication service that will take place on October 9th at 8:00. On Sunday, October 11th, at our Simchat Torah service, we will joyfully dance with our new Torah as we celebrate the history and continuity of our Congregation.
Many, many congregants participated in the sponsoring of our centennial Torah. Because of this project, more than a quarter of a million dollars will be added to the Temples endowment fund. More importantly, however, our Congregation has created a special Torah that will become a centerpiece of our spiritual life. Each time we read from it, we will integrate our history, our present and our future. Those of you who are already sponsors of the Torah project received a Torah lapel pin. We hope that you will wear your pin during the High Holy Days and especially at the dedication service on October 9th.
Ed and I would like to thank all those who worked on the project with us. Our committee consisted of Barry Gaines, Richard Levy, Alan Blaugrund and Phil Kaplan. Leslie Pivar and Rabbi Black sat in on our meetings and Peter Weinreb helped with the publicity. Jerry Goffe, Rosanne Kaplan, Lynn Pfeffer, Anita Harper, Elaine Weisman, Marc Orchant, Linda Sandstrom and Carol Spitz also helped in various ways. Rabbi Black guided us and answered questions and Sally Greenbaum and Clara Martinez in the office helped keep us organized and informed. Glenda Orchant and Judy Ning facilitated the participation of the religious school families. Thank you Mary Birenbaum, Barry Gaines, Kendra and Steve Margel, Frances Newman and Joel Wheeler for the time, creativity and materials that you donated to enhance our new Torah and the scroll of honor.
Although Ed and I will no longer be working on the centennial Torah committee, the project will go on. We encourage you to participate by sponsoring a portion of the Torah to commemorate an important event in your lives or to honor or memorialize someone. Your names as contributors will be added to the scroll of honor book that will be displayed in the foyer. A sincere thank you to all the sponsors. We can be very proud of our accomplishment.
Sincerely,
Bronnie Blaugrund
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