I periodically check in with Rabbi Andy Bachman's blog, Water Over Rocks. Today I found out that that his synagogue, Congregation Beth Elohim, is running a food drive for City Harvest. Canned and dry goods can be left in the Temple House at 274 Garfield Place.
I also took a quick look at his always interesting blog posts and found this poignant post called Plural, Amen, which expresses the many responsibilities faced by the rabbi of a large local congregation. Here's an excerpt.
decisions to help put us on the right footing for a campaign to
renovate and restore our buildings, including fundraising coffees and
fundraising
And then, just like that, today pivoted, and I'm
helping to find housing for a family left nearly homeless in this
brutal economy and within moments, sitting with a bereaved woman whose
husband of 46 years died and she can't function without him. That's
16,790 days with one person. Try to imagine doing something with
someone for 16,790 days in a row and then all of a sudden lose that
presence, lose that voice, suffer from the absence of that soul. There
is survivor's guilt; anger; anxiety; depression. And an unspeakable
loneliness that few of us truly know.
A fire alarm went off
during this conversation today and my visitor kept checking her watch.
"You must be busy," she said. "I'm not a member of your shul. I should
go." "But you are here," I said. "And we're together. So stay."
I
thought, but didn't say, "The fundraising and the strategizing is for
moments like these, the quiet moments of service." Obligation without
fanfare. Just the response.
lunches followed by strategic meetings and planning
sessions.
Rabbi Bachman’s blog is always poetic and spot on to the heart.
(Of course I feel bad now, Louise, that we are raising $ for food WITH fanfare!)
How it goes.