Dear TOS family,

Our December Chanukah Potluck Dinner was a great success. Let me start by thanking Wendy Schwartz, Mitch Siegel and the entire committee for a fabulous event. And what can we say about all the wonderful food that everyone prepared? It was all delicious and a good time was had by all! We’ll be doing these kinds of events more often.

Thanks to those who attended the Chanukah candle lighting in Bluffton. That was a joint effort between us, the Town of Bluffton, and Congregation Beth Yam. It’s especially important for our local Jewish organizations to work together. The Board is making a concerted effort to do that.

Our “Mittens Project” was a fabulous success thanks to your amazing generosity, as always. Your donations help keep so many warm during the winter months. Thanks to Deena Chontow for coordinating this effort once again.

The Ritual Committee is working on our annual Second Night Seder on Tuesday night, April 23rd, location, and time to be determined. I want to thank Ruth Moroknek and her committee for taking this on.

Instead of a Shabbat service in April we will be doing something we’ve never done before. We will have a “First Day Festival Service” on Wednesday morning, April 24th. Rabbi Kanter will be here for both of those events. Some of you have been asking for a morning service, so here is one opportunity. The time will be determined.

Mark your calendars now!

Arline Rosen has stepped up as Co-chair of the Education Committee. She and Helene are working on some interesting things, look at their message in the Adult Education portion of this Shofar. Thanks to Arline for taking on this responsibility.

Larry Rosendorf will be starting the Movie Series again as well.

Watch your emails for more information. We’re grateful to Larry foroffering to do this.

For some fifteen years our Congregation has been offering Sunday morning services to the recruits at Parris Island. Sadly, Al Richter was advised that they have hired a Rabbi and that our services are no longer required. I want to thank Al for all he has done to make this Outreach such a success. His leadership was outstanding and we couldn’t have done it without him!! To those of you who volunteered at Parris Island, your dedication has been stellar. There were thousands of young recruits touched and impacted by all that you shared. I know that many of you are sad that we can no longer perform this Mitzvah but we hope you’ll be comforted with the knowledge that you did so much good! Thank you for representing TOS so beautifully.

I wish all of you a Happy New Year filled with health, happiness, joy and love!

Terrie Weintraub