Message from Paul Gilman, NFRS President
Hallelujah, 2021 has given us many occasions to recite the
Shehechiyanu blessing, the Jewish blessing for firsts:
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who has
kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season.
Implied in this blessing is a commitment to vitality and to sustained presence and
awareness.
● Vitality (shehechiyanu): There is a force that animates us — a soul-spark
that kindles enthusiasm for the journey.
● Sustained Presence (v’kiyamanu): We have survived in order to thrive in
the world that is emerging right now.
● Awareness (v’higiyanu lazman hazeh): Open up an awareness to the big
picture and to our small yet essential place in that vastness.
Shehechiyanu was appropriate when we received our first dose of vaccine and on June 18 when we held our first Shabbat Beach Service in almost two years as a congregation. The Temple Board is working along with HUC, our new student Rabbi, Ada Luisa Sinacore, and our building partners to make sure we have a steady progression of Shehechiyanus for the rest of 2021. Please watch for NFRS announcements and our newsletter as we open up our community.