Dear Friends:
We have had kiddush after Shabbat services for the past couple of weeks and will continue to do so this Shabbat and for the rest of January. As we try to rebuild our in-person participation back to where it was pre-pandemic, we’re trying to determine whether having kiddush after services might serve to increase our attendance. A sit-down kiddush after services provides an opportunity to spend some time with your fellow congregants and creating community has always been an important role of the synagogue throughout history. We really do need you to sign up if you are planning to attend so if you are coming this Shabbat and have not yet done so, please use this link: https://forms.gle/YrF1LfA9yDfPmERk8
We do recognize that there are folks for whom attending in person is either inadvisable -- due to medical concerns -- or impossible -- due to the distance that they live from the shul. We will continue to make Zoom available for Shabbat morning services and since we allow remote participants to count in the minyan, to read, and to say Kaddish, our Zoom settings allow remote participants to unmute themselves when necessary. However, those of us in the Sanctuary frequently find ourselves interrupted by extraneous conversation from those on Zoom who have unmuted their microphones and forgotten to mute them again. Please, if you are on Zoom, be more mindful of the need to mute yourself when you are not actively speaking or we will have to change our Zoom settings, to the detriment of everyone.
As a reminder, I am having drop-in hours on Thursday afternoon from 2 to 4 at the shul. You do not need to make an appointment -- that would negate the whole point of drop-in hours -- but I’d urge you to check and make sure I am there regardless as sometimes there are unavoidable pastoral or other emergencies which might take me away from the building.
As always, if I can do anything for you or you need to talk, please contact me at rabbi@kehilatshalom.org or 301-977-0768 rather than through the synagogue office. I am happy to meet you at the synagogue by appointment. I have been spending more time in the synagogue recently but if you want to speak with me it’s best to make an appointment rather than assuming I will be there when you stop by.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Charles L. Arian
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