Bylined opinion and news columns published by United Hebrew Congregation Terre Haute.
The Hebrew calendar advises us that here in the northern hemisphere, the Ten Days of Awe, when we practice Teshuvah, occur during the fall (or in some years, late summer).
Sukkot also occurs in the fall. And on the secular calendar, students go back to school as fall begins.
This year, many of the seasonal celebrations have occurred virtually and parents, students and teachers are coping with online education.
Nevertheless, fall remains a time of new beginnings, even in a virtual environment.
A few weeks ago, I sat on a Zoom call with our rabbi and four other rabbinical and cantorial students from my childhood synagogue to talk about teshuvah.
You might ask, “what is teshuvah and how do we do it?”
Teshuvah, which literally means “repentance” and comes from the word “turning”, is the process that we are called to undertake during the High Holidays, especially Yom Kippur.
Shalom, all!
My name is Emily Dana, and I am overjoyed to be joining your community for the coming year as United Hebrew Congregation’s rabbinic intern.
What do you need to know about me? I was born in Boston and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, where I attended Beth Emet Synagogue in Evanston.
Growing up, I went to Camp OSRUI in Oconomowoc, Wis., where I also served on staff for a number of years.
Recently, a visitor to our website asked for information on Rabbi Samuel N. Deinard (1872-1921), who served our congregation during the last years of the 19th century.
My research took me to Herman Koren‘s Commemorative Book: 150th Anniversary of the Jewish Community in Terre Haute 1849-1999, where I came across a quote from the first ordained rabbi in Terre Haute, Dr. Alexander Lyons. At the dedication of the first Temple Israel in 1891, Rabbi Lyons described the synagogue as the “school house of the soul”.
I thought about this quote as the month of Elul, when we prepare for the High Holy Days, began. This year is certainly different because our Temple, since March, has conducted its business virtually.