A High Holiday Message from Cantor Sol Zim

 
SHANAH TOVAH!
 
My Beloved Congregation,    
 
I miss all of you so much! I miss standing on the Bima with my Pulpit Partner and my dear friend, our beloved Rabbi, David Wise. I miss seeing all of your smiling faces in the sanctuary, I miss you singing with me, I miss walking with the Torah and wishing everyone a Good Shabbos or Good Yuntif. I miss it all.
 
I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams that we would be celebrating Shabbatot, festivals and now the High Holidays remotely and that we would not be together physically in our beautiful synagogue.
 
These are extremely difficult & complicated times due to the COVID 19 Pandemic.  HOWEVER…we at HHBJC are strong & very resilient. We are connected, unconditionally. We will not allow a little distance to ever keep us apart. Our incredible leadership, our Congregants, Rabbi Wise & myself are all making sure that we are TOGETHER, not only in spirit but VISIBLY. Yes, ZOOM and YOUTUBE as well as other internet connections have allowed us to be together.
 
I am so very proud of our Synagogue Leadership for taking the PRUDENT and NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS for our well-being.  Thank you to ARTHUR LIEDERMAN, our Co-President, for his incredible Leadership. He has been leading us through this Pandemic with his great vigilance, insight, thoughtfulness & prudence. Arthur and his team are keeping us safe and protected as well as connected. Arthur, I hope you know how much we appreciate you and the whole team.
 
We at HHBJC have figured out a way to be together virtually…, for Minyan, Likrat Shabbat, Havdalah, Rabbi Wise’s classes & Lunch & Learn, my Learn To Daven Class & Sing Alongs as well as for the sad times, unfortunately, of funerals & shiva.   What can I say…we are making it work until we can all be together side by side…AND WE WILL BE TOGETHER AGAIN SIDE BY SIDE.
 
As you know, we will be having Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur “abridged” services to be “LIVE STREAMED” from our sanctuary so that everyone can join in virtually and pray together as one. I am also thrilled to let you know that I have “Pre-Recorded” our favorite, familiar and heart-warming Prayers & Melodies from the Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur Services, with the Choir.  Thank you again Arthur for making this happen. Thank you to Michael Borman, past President, and his son Eddie, for their expertise in helping our synagogue set up all the necessary cameras & wiring for our Recording & Live Streaming.
 
To hear all the Pre-Recorded High Holiday Prayers with the Choir, you can as of Rosh Hashanah, go onto OUR HHBJC WEBSITE and search for the Prayers.
 
As you connect to our “LIVE STREAMING” on Rosh Hashanah & Yom Kippur, join me and Rabbi Wise as we Pray Together, Sing Together, Stay Strong Together and we will get through this.  Let us Pray to Hashem for a Healthy New Year, a Safe New Year and a Sweet New Year!
 
I love you all.
 
Shanah Tovah – G’mar Chatima Tovah
 
Cantor Sol Zim