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IF YOU WOULD LIKE ME TO VISIT YOU IN THE HOSPITAL...
Pocono
Medical Center no longer gives out the names of its
patients by phone. This means that I am
only able to visit if someone personally notifies me
that you are there. You know I am happy to come see
you, so
please give me a call if you or someone you know
would like me to spend a few minutes together. As my
Bubbe would say, "poo poo poo, it shouldn't happen."
But if it does...
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Greetings!
It is so hard to believe that I
have been at Temple
Israel almost seven months, the time does fly by.
And I am indeed still having fun! I have personally
met more of our members, welcomed new members to our
Temple, and have spent much of my time getting to
know you and your families. If there are programs or
activities that you think would attract you and your
friends, I am always interested in listening. Call
or e-mail me and we will set up a time to get
together and discuss your interest. Meanwhile, I
remind you that each TI member is a member of our
Membership Committee, each one of you knows someone
who is not now a member but who would make a
wonderful addition. I invite you to invite them to
Shabbat services to meet me and our "regulars," and
to begin to participate in all that we have to
offer. Call me and I will also invite them to join
us. We need to find and interest all the "hidden
yidn," as Jack Bernbaum calls them, so that they
will know that the Poconos has a Temple for them
that is warm and welcoming. I know it is, and you
know it is, and now we must let all our Jewish
neighbors know it too!
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| RABBI GLAZER AT WORK |
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There are two sides to the work of a Rabbi: the
"Inside Rabbi, that is the work that I do here at
Temple Israel with you and your families; and the
"Outside Rabbi," the work that I do representing you
in the greater Poconos community. As you will see,
there have been lots of opportunities for both of
these in the past two months, and I would like to
share with you the following Rabbinic activities.
Met with three new conversion students, who
are beginning their studies with me. We will study
together, thereby symbolizing to them that Judaism
needs a community in order to prosper.
Taught
Judaism 101, a series of three Adult Education
classes. We
discussed What We Jews Believe, Jewish Life Cycle
and The Jewish Way In Death and Mourning.
Met with members of a church in Reeders to
coordinate a Passover Seder which I will conduct for
them in April.Attended (together with President
Barry Tremper) a NE PA Federation meeting in
Scranton, where I was invited to give the opening
Dvar Torah. Attended another Fedration
meeting in Scranton (together with Barry and Suzanne
Tremper, Teacher and Program Director Marcie
Rabinowitz, Principal Debbie Smith and Education
Committee Chair David Vinik) to discuss an exciting new
initiative of Federation financial support for area
Religious
Schools including our own. Participated in
the Stroudsburg Community
Clergy Association breakfast to discuss issues of
common interest to our communityTaught the
Womens Rosh Hodesh class texts describing the figure
of Lillith, who according to the Rabbis, was Adam's
first wife (did you know that?). Enjoyed my
vacation during
which Ellen and I had dinner at Maxwell's in Boca
Raton FL with Lester Abeloff, Herb and Sylvia Rosen,
Jack Bernbaum and his friend Rita, and Phyllis and
Jerry Rubin. A lovely time was had by all, and I was
happy to be able to connect our TI snowbirds with each
other. Conducted the Tu B'Shevat Seder for
the Religious School students. This less-well-known
seder was
created by Jewish Kabbalists in the Israeli city of
Tzfat (Safed) hundreds of years ago, as a way
of celebrating the fruits that are grown in the land
of Israel. It was a wonderful opportunity to see all
our students sitting together (with many of their
parents joining them) and participating in this
old-new ceremony. I love our students-they are warm
and loving and well-mannered and proud of their
Judaism, and it is a pleasure to be able to teach
them. Taught a class at Northampton
Community College Bethlehem campus to the Senior
Class of the Funeral Services Program. We discussed
their future participation at Jewish funerals, and I
gave them advice and support to be able to better
serve their Jewish clients when they serve as
Funeral Directors. My lecture is now on their
permanent schedule for each academic year.
Met with Rev.
Kim Jennings and the Confirmation Class at Prince of
Peace Lutheran Church to discuss with them why Jews
are different, especially why we do not believe in
Jesus as Messiah (Do you know why? Ask
me!). Attended meeting of our local Pocono
Area Ministerial Association Pocono Medical Center.
We meet the third Tuesday
of every month. Next month I am the guest speaker.
Began to meet with our Bnai Mitzvah
students. I will study their Torah portion with
them, and work with them on their
speeches.Spent a lovely evening at The
Unity Day at Mt. Pleasant High School
in Broadheadsville. This is a program which
celebrates the diversity of all Broadheadsville
neighborhood organizations. There were 500 people in
attendance tonight. I was (of course!) invited to
set up a table which would teach passers-by about
Judaism. I already knew the secret: if you feed them
they will come, and so I took with me two challas,
two boxes of matza crackers, our Megillah scroll, a
tallit, a shofar and a Purim grogger. Some kids blew
shofar and grogged the grogger, and they were happy.
Some kids looked at the Megillah and they were impressed
by the scroll and the Hebrew writing. But lots of
kids and adults enjoyed the matza and challah, and
they were ecstatic! I was
a hit, and Judaism was a hit! It was
suggested to me that next year I should bring lox to
go with the challah and matza. How about some
horseradish instead... I had a great time and if you
would
like to join me next year, you're in for a
treat!Welcomed a Confirmation Class to
Shabbat services from St. Johns Lutheran Church,
together with their Minister Rev. Gail Kees.
Spoke at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Sunday morning Adult Class about Judaism and our
beliefs.
Interviewed by Channel 13 on the population
growth in the Poconos and how that impacts on Temple
Israel and our growing Jewish community.
Another Rosh Hodesh class,
concentrating on Jewish Women in the Torah,
especially the matriarchs in the Book of Genesis.
In addition, I have my regular
scheduled Shabbat services/Torah study, Hebrew
School teaching,
hospital visits to members and non-members, Temple
Israel committee meetings and personal
counseling sessions with our members. All in all, a
full plate of activities which keeps me busy and
satisfied and fulfilled. I love being a Rabbi, I
love being YOUR Rabbi, and I sincerely hope that you
are pleased with my activities on your behalf.
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