Mazel Tov Hy Wakstein!
I’m writing this article just before our Passover Seder due to my own
schedule and commitments. To start with, I have just read The News
Herald, April 6, 2009 issue and the front page story which honored
four Bay County men, one of which our temple can claim as not only one
of our founding members but a longstanding member. That person is Hy
Wakstein. If you did not see the article, it states he, among the
other three men, were awarded the French Legion of Honor for acts in
World War II, for having fought on French territory in a campaign(s)
of the Liberation of France: Normandy, Southern France, Northern
France and the Ardennes. Hy fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
In honor of Hy and all of our military personnel, I would like to
encourage us to take the time to honor and thank them. Support them
by sending care packages and letters! Memorial Day is this month on
May 26, 2009.
Our Condolences
Our condolences go out to the family of Roberta King and the
congregation of Temple Concord in Binghamton for their active member
Roberta King, a mother of 10 and a grandmother of 17, with two more
grandchildren on the way. She was a 72 year-old English teacher whose
life was taken by a gunman in a classroom where she taught to
immigrants at Binghamton’s American Civic Association. She was one of
the 13 victims who died at the hands of a gunman.
Annual Meeting in June
Mark your calendars now for June 17, the date of the annual meeting,
approval of the new budget and election. You will be receiving
ballots with the slate when it is approved by the Board in May. We
will need a quorum to approve the budget and elect the new Board of
Trustees. I will give the State of the Temple report, and I promise
you will not want to miss this meeting! There will be a surprise
guest.
Honor Thy Mother
Mother’s Day reminds us of the commandment to honor your mother and
father.” Mother’s Day is May 10th and our Sunday Shul is planning
something special for Mother’s Day. Our ISJL Fellow Megan Roberts,
and the Dothan temple’s ISJL Fellow and the Dothan temple’s rabbi and
entire Sunday school staff and children will get together here in
Panama City.
Special Goodbyes
We sadly say goodbye to both our ISJL Fellow and our Student Rabbi
Anne Strauss too. Let’s not miss seeing Megan during her last visit
(in the schedule shown for May). If any of you want to write a
special goodbye to either of them and say thank you, please send it to
the blog or to the temple and we will forward it on. They have both
served a special purpose for our congregation and we could not have
done without them!
Mazel Tov to Megan Roberts on her engagement and her new job. The
children and the rest of us will miss her being with us the past two
years. We were lucky she was the Fellow that the ISJL hired and
partnered with our congregation.
Anne Strauss has shown us her scholarship and care at times when she
has been here this past year. We wish her well and it is comforting
to know she will be a spiritual presence and counselor to our Navy
personnel. Much luck to this fine young lady.
Thank You to Rabbi Richard Baroff
What a pleasure to have had an ordained rabbi this past month! The
weather was terrible the night of the service he conducted so we had
poor attendance. But, on behalf of our Board of Trustees and those
members who did brave the weather you missed something! Thank you
Rabbi Baroff for your spiritual presence on Friday night and the class
on Saturday.
