Dear Fellow Congregants,

The summer has come and gone and September is now upon us, with the High Holy Days not far behind.

The difficult situation in Israel and the Middle East has undoubtedly preoccupied and upset many of us over the past two months, as have the situations in Iraq, Ukraine, and elsewhere. Regardless, I hope you were able to find time to enjoy family and friends.

There has been much activity at Central over the summer in preparation for a busy fall. Here are some of the highlights:

Rabbi Buchdahl’s Installation

In what promises to be a joyous event, our congregation will be formally installing Rabbi Angela Buchdahl as our Senior Rabbi at Friday night services on September 19. This historic evening will be replete with meaning, music, warmth, and love. We hope that you will be able to join us for the service and the festive oneg immediately afterwards.

High Holy Days

The High Holy Days come “late” this year, with Erev Rosh HaShanah on Wednesday evening, September 24 and Kol Nidrei on Friday evening, October 2. Tickets are being mailed next week and will contain the schedule of services as well as a description of certain changes this year, including the timing of approaching the Torah on Yom Kippur afternoon. As a reminder, we will celebrate Erev Rosh HaShanah together as a community in Avery Fisher Hall at 8:00 p.m., just as we have for the past several years.

We ask you to let us know as soon as possible if you will not be using your tickets for either Rosh HaShanah or Yom Kippur this year, as this would enable us to accommodate others who otherwise could not attend. Also, if you would like to serve as an usher for one or more services, thanks in advance and please contact Deena Plotka.

K–12 Education

In keeping with our commitment to improve Jewish education for our children, Rabbi Andrew Straus and Zach Rolf are leading the effort to reconceive and reinvigorate our K–12 programming. As a sign of these changes, we have adopted a new name for our religious school: The Lese Center for Living Judaism. Zach and Rabbi Straus are working closely with Elana Paru (Director of Educational Administration), Rabbi David Kalb (Director of Learning & Innovation), and our dynamic educators to design and deliver an exciting and meaningful program marked by excellence and innovation.

Early Childhood Education

Central’s Early Childhood Center, under the leadership of Cindy Grebow, is gearing up for another wonderful year in the May Family Nursery School, while also expanding its programming for all of our young families. The Early Childhood team, in conjunction with our clergy, is planning numerous family engagement programs such as Tot Shabbatot, festival celebrations, and more.

Adult Education

Rabbi David Kalb, together with the clergy, is developing a robust series of adult education opportunities for the coming year. Take note, for example, of the High Holy Days Crash Course beginning on September 10. We still have room for you in some of our fall semester and full-year classes, so please enroll now. Let’s all commit ourselves to enhancing our own Jewish knowledge this year.

Israel

We have decided to expand and deepen Central’s Israel-related programming to ensure that all congregants have an opportunity to engage more deeply with the country and understand the significance of Israel for Jewish life. This will include participating in iEngage Israel, created by the Shalom Hartman Institute, as well as lectures, panel discussions, trips to Israel, and more.

I would be remiss in not thanking the entire Central team for all of the work done over the summer to ensure that the High Holy Days will be meaningful and well-organized for all of us. The Central team prepares for the High Holy Days with inspiring dedication. I hope you will join me in thanking them for helping make the High Holy Days at Central so special.

Cindy and I look forward to seeing you at Avery Fisher Hall for our beautiful Erev Rosh HaShanah service on September 24 and throughout the High Holy Days.

Wishing you and yours an early shanah tovah,

David B. Edelson
President