Staying Safe Through the Storm

Dear Congregants,

As I write this, our landscaping and trees are covered in the cold, white, fluffy stuff that I remember fondly from my days as a child in New Jersey, when we used to go sledding on the hill outside our house and build snowmen on the front lawn. It’s certainly a different look for Macon. I hope that none of our members was too inconvenienced by the storm and that everyone is safe and warm.

Did you know that Congregation Sha’arey Israel is now more than 120 years old? Our Board of Governors is launching a campaign, “CSI: Building the Next 120 Years,” to take stock of all the good we already do as a congregation and to start planning for the future. Where do we want to go? Who do we want to be? As a first step, a planning committee is organizing a number of forums of different sizes in the next few months, culminating with one in May at the synagogue. Everyone will be invited to one of the forums, and I very much hope that when invited, you will come and share your ideas about what CSI can do to better serve your and others’ needs.

Don’t forget that CSI’s annual Super Bowl Party and Fundraiser will be held on Sunday, February 9th in the CSI Social Hall. The Ways and Means Committee has decided to honor the location of the game – New Orleans! – by serving a New Orleans-style meal with, activities and appetizers starting at 5 pm. Dinner will be served at 6 pm, and kickoff is at 6:30. Purchase your tickets now by calling or emailing Stephanie in our office. Adults are $70 and kids under 16 are free.

Please mark your calendar for Shabbat services the morning of February 1st. The kiddush luncheon afterward will be sponsored by the Fieldsteel/Lewis household to celebrate Jan’s birthday.

Remember, everyone at CSI is encouraged to attend Friday night and/or Saturday morning services. We need you to make sure we have a minyan, especially so that those who need to say Kaddish can do so. We’d love to see you in person, but if you can’t make it, please join us on Zoom.

See you at shul, and have a great month!

Shalom,
Jan