Time to Reflect and Re-Commit

Coming from the Northeast I appreciate the cooler weather we enjoy in Miami during our winter months. I love wearing my wool sweaters. I take out fashion boots even though I don't really need them. My family enjoys dining al fresco on our patio, and we have lots of visitors who come to escape the cold, dark winter. 

Our secular calendar gives our children a break from their school routines and allows each of us an opportunity to celebrate the New Year, again. January and February (Tevet and Shevat are the Hebrew calendar months) are quieter times. I like to look at these months as an opportunity to refocus on the personal goals that I set during the High Holy Days. This year I will also take time to evaluate what needs to be accomplished before the end of our temple fiscal year in June. I hope that our community will support our most important endeavors.

Our Day School, under the strong leadership of Dr. Deborah Starr, our Head of School, continues to make sure that our students are provided the finest education, secular or religious, available in South Dade. We are in the midst of an active marketing campaign that will allow our regional community access to information about the value of our DS program. Dr. Starr has implemented new academic, social climate and Hebrew language curriculums; all this in her first nine months on our campus. Our teachers will continue to have access to the most up-to-date professional development to help them meet the needs of our most gifted students. We continue to offer support services to students who may at one time or another need a little extra help. 

As your friends and neighbors evaluate the choices available for their children's education, please be an advocate for our schools. We offer generous scholarships and would welcome the opportunity to offer more students access to the finest Elementary and Early Childhood program available. Our Religious School, in its 55 year, offers programs from PreK–12th grade. Let us know how we can help your children participate.

Membership continues to be the most important source of non-tuition income. We continue to work hard to recruit and retain our members. Our calendar is full of ways to connect through social, spiritual and educational offerings. Other than Tu B'Shevat in February, which celebrates the new year of the trees, we don't have any Jewish holiday celebrations.

This is the perfect time to come to one of our regular weekly Shabbat offerings. Check out Sabbath Soul for a musical spiritual journey. Or come to Saturday morning Torah Study in the Adult Reading Room of our magnificent Library and experience what it is like to learn with our senior Rabbi and students of all ages and experience.

Fundraising provides the necessary supplement to our membership and tuition revenues. On Saturday February 11th, I hope you will attend this year's Black & White Gala. It is sure to be a great evening with old friends and a chance to make new ones. We always have room for sponsors and if you have not already committed please do so today. Our incredible Executive Vice President Adrian Dubow is hard at work with a wonderful committee to ensure this evening will be a successful "fun and fund" raiser. 

Our Strategic Planning Committee has been hard at work creating a plan that will secure our future. We hope to integrate their recommendations into next year's budget plans and our first-ever published Annual Report. The Temple Board of Directors is committed to finding creative revenue sources and protecting our precious resources. Our professional staff continues to maintain the same level of service our congregants have always enjoyed even with significantly reduced personnel.

I hope that you will take advantage of the winter months and get involved on our campus. Please let us know what interests you, and what would inspire you to participate. Let's all take the time to reflect on the goals we established at our Jewish New Year and commit ourselves to ensuring that our current path leads to achieving those goals. 

I wish you all a happy secular New Year.