“Cast your bread on the water, and one day it will come back to you.” This dose of biblical study came courtesy of my kids’ new PJ Library book, Nuri and the Whale. The original text is from the book of Kohelet/Ecclesiastes. Kohelet is traditionally read on the Shabbat that falls on Sukkot, the harvest festival that celebrates the bounty of the season and the nomadic lifestyle of the Israelites after they left Egypt.
During Sukkot, Emanu-El Downtown was full of the holiday spirit: snacks in the mini-Sukkah that our friends built together, a good shaking of the lulav and etrog, and even a visit from Rabbi Ehrlich, who helped us bring in Shabbat Together!
“Cast your bread on the water, and one day it will come back to you.” As I read this line again, it reminded me of Temple Emanu-El and the support of its members as we build Emanu-El Downtown. The bread: the clergy, the community, the majesty that is baked into all of the wonderful happenings uptown is being shared with the Downtown community. As we grow Downtown through Shabbat celebrations, weekly classes, and holiday festivals, we will also be encouraging our friends to take the trek uptown to feel the warmth of the Shake in the Sukkah, to stand in awe of the glorious sukkah in the sanctuary, and to come together to celebrate our community.