Shira and I have always blessed our children, Nat, Davide, Sam and Jordana, with this blessing: “May you love Monday mornings.”

Don’t live for weekends. Don’t live for off-hours. Don’t live for vacations. Live for Monday mornings. Be so excited by Monday mornings that you can’t wait to get to it.

For 28 years, Temple Emanuel has fulfilled that blessing for me. I love everything about this holy community. I love the people. I love the prayers. I love the singing, the duets, the harmonies, that give me goosebumps for the thousandth time. I love the learning. I love working with so many purpose-driven people to create a more just world. I love the wrestling. I love the creative tensions. I love the aspiration to get ever better. I love my colleagues. I love our lay leaders. I love the opportunity to walk with you, the members of Temple Emanuel, through life.

May we continue now to walk together slowly but surely, to ever brighter days, to many weeks of Monday mornings that promise connection, community, friendship, learning, growing, meaning, and joy. Something magical and mystical regularly happens at 385 Ward Street: sublime moments when together we can feel the presence of God, fulfilling the Torah’s vision: “Build me a sanctuary so that I can dwell among the people.”

This year we will be so excited to introduce our congregation to our new granddaughter Aya Naira Russo!

Temple Emanuel, thank you for being the answer to my deep prayer.

To access Sermons from our wonderful Senior Rabbi, please click HERE.