Dear Hevreh,

Last week, I wrote three journal entries previewing this past Friday’s Shabbat By The Sea experience with each entry devoted to a theme associated with the event –creative fun,partnership,and wordless music.In looking back at this night, I can’t help but see how each of these elements helped made this night a wonderful success.

• Creative fun – I don’t know about you, but if we have ice cream from Bayside Creamery at each of our events, I’ll be there in a heartbeat. Just seeing their little stand waiting for us as we finished our abbreviated service was enough to make your mouth water. It certainly added an element of fun and even a little whimsy to a night of meaningful song and worship.

• Partnership – Yes there was certainly a feel of partnership among the participating local Perth Amboy institutions, like Bayside Creamery and God’s Army Ministries. But what I was even more impressed with was the partnership among members of our community to make this night a.siccess. Whether it was picking up food from the restaurant (Thanks Fertiks!), adjusting plans to have dinner inside because of the rain, moving chairs and books between the shul and the park (a special thank you to Scott!), or dancing to the unique music of this wonderful event, I felt that we were all partners in creating a memorable evening.

• Wordless Music – To be honest, I didn’t know how the music and stories from both Jewish and Christian traditions would be received. Yet it seems from my vantage point that the safe space created by wordless music – by the Jewish tradition of niggunim – allowed us to safely reach outside our comfort zones and experience a celebration of culture, of faith, and of worship that was truly remarkable.

 

These are only some of my impressions from last Friday night, and I would love to hear your impressions, both positive and critical, so that we can continue to grow as a modern, inspirational, and traditional Jewish Home for the Soul.

Kol Tuv,

Rabbi Ari Saks

Category : Ari-archive
Tag : bayside creamery creativity God's Army Ministries innovation niggun partnership perth amboy perth amboy news rabbi rabbi's journal shabbat by the sea wordless music