Dear Community
A.
I hope everyone had a healthy and happy Hanukkah holiday. We are now starting the second half of the winter. We hope and pray that this will be a good time in every way for Klal Yisrael and for each and every one of us.
Baruch Hashem, our community is 18 years old, and continues to grow, mainly by families of new immigrants who fulfill the dream of generations, and immigrate to the Land of Israel where the Jewish people have been able to establish a state after nearly two thousand years of exile. The State of Israel faces many challenges. Everyone davens and does what they can for the success of our beloved country.
Hashem has also given each and every one of us different types of challenges in our lives, whether spiritual and mental, or physical and material. We all face these challenges and sometimes we are more successful in overcoming them, while other times we are less successful.
Our faith in Hashem is the key to our ability to grow in our life's journey. The belief that there is a single Master of the Universe who directs our life's journey in the exact way that suits us, gives meaning to everything that we experience. The more faith we have, the happier we will go through this journey in life.
At the same time, it is very difficult to face all of life alone. Our community gives us strength to face the challenges more easily. Community is a source of resilience and support.
As the Rav of the community, I literally see this every day before my eyes, and I am sure that many feel the same feeling, that Baruch Hashem, we have been blessed that our community is supportive and embracing, both in times of joy, and, G-d forbid, in times of trouble. We have been privileged to establish such a loving, welcoming and caring community. Of course, there is always more for us to advance, and we need to continue to develop our sensitivity towards others and more and more.
B.
In recent years I have been studying, with the support of the shul, various topics that are relevant to the men and women of the community. In the past I studied subjects of training, couple counseling, sex therapy and other community subjects. This year I am studying the topic of advising single young men and women for marriage. This training has included everything from discussing the desire to get married, finding suitable matches, dating, difficult decision-making and more.
I would be very happy to meet on these topics with anyone who is interested.
As is always the case, Tali and I are always happy to discuss any topic with any members of our community, and help in any way we can.
Have a healthy, happy and successful winter and year for all of us!
Shlomo Sobol
