My friends,

I know that news travels fast and bad news even faster.  It would pain me to share todays’s news and even more so, that we are so close to Rosh Hashanah.  Some of you may have already heard that Temple Beth Torah was defaced with anti-Semitic and hateful graffiti this past weekend.  The graffiti was hate-filled and entirely deplorable and so very much against our American values and ideals.  I am grateful nobody was injured and the vile graffiti has been painted over already.

We all recall Rabbi Lisa Hochberg-Miller being the installing officer at my instillation last month.  Just as Rabbi Hochberg-Miller was with us on a happy day, I’ve been in contact with her directly on this sad moment and made sure she knew Congregation Am HaYam stands with TBT today, for whatever they might need.  She expressed to me her gratitude for our support and concern.

Never should we live in fear.  Always should we be vigilant and aware of our surroundings.  As the expression goes, “see something/say something”…

חזק ואמץ-Be Strong and have courage!!

Rabbi Ron