January bulletin

Dear CAI,

December at CAI was pretty amazing.  Taking Hanukkah on the road, I saw some of our friends in Florida-thanks to my wonderful in-laws, Paul and Barbara Schwartz for hosting in DelRay Beach!  I took the giant Hanukkiah to “the Heights”, Balmville, CAI, Fishkill, New Windsor and Cornwall.  All along the way I saw the smiles and sang with friends old and new.  I have deep appreciation to Jack Dabrusin for the use of his truck and Klaus Solomon, Jack Dabrusin and Frank Wolf for their expert plans and execution turning a giant stationary menorah into a portable one!

As I spoke on Hanukkah--and at our very successful Hanukkah Shabbat dinner--what we think about Hanukkah depends on our perspectives.  To me, Hanukkah is about bringing OUR holy light into the world.  It is about bringing our unique Jewish spirit, into our homes, into our hearts, and even into the public square.  As Jews, we have something special to offer the world.  We cannot forget that.

To help us better understand our future, sometimes we have to look into the past.  At the end of this month, we will begin a series of evenings discussing Jewish history.  By looking at some of the major texts of our history, we can better plan for our next 5000 years!

As always, peace in our world seems precarious.  Yet, here at CAI, in Newburgh, we find a little oasis.  In all that I do, I try to help us spread that oasis, expand our circles of peace into the world around us.  We begin by working towards peace in our homes and relationships, spread outside our families into our friends and broader Jewish Communities.  From there we can work with our city, county, state, country and beyond.  The lesson of Hanukkah is that one little light can illuminate not just the darkness, but the world.  What are you doing to spread the light?  Come visit us and find out!

As I said in December: Whatever you are doing this month, keep CAI in mind.  We always have you in our hearts!  Wishing you a warm heart--even if the outside may be a little chilly!  Join me for coffee and let’s dream together.  Our new building demonstrates what Herzl said about the nation of Israel, “If you will it, it is no dream!”