Haiti: Reaching out to help

You may have heard me talk several times about the value of community. How we are here to pray, sing, learn, eat, and laugh together as a family. And this also means that sometimes we are also here to support one another through sickness, loss, and grief. But being part of a community means something else as well.

It means that we unite our efforts to help the world around us. As individuals, we don’t always feel the impact of our deeds, but as a community we can do so much more. As most of you know by now, the island of Haiti was struck by a terrible earthquake on Tuesday.

Buildings crumbled, hospitals collapsed, and even the Presidential palace fell. Today, countless people dig through rubble with their bare hands, looking for any trace of loved ones.

Please help us respond to this terrible tragedy with a donation to any one of these worthwhile causes:

American Jewish World Service

Mazon

Partners in Health

United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism

Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund (Please write “Haiti Relief Fund” on the check)

In addition, one of our upcoming B’nai Mitzvah students, Kaitlin Graham, is devoting her Mitzvah Project to helping the people of Haiti. Kaitlin will be collecting any cash or check donations outside the synagogue on Sunday morning, January 17^th, before religious school starts.

If any other B’nai Mitzvah students would like to join Kaitlin in this important project, please speak to her about it on Sunday.

We pray for the safety and well-being of all the people of

Haiti. May the rescue efforts be successful, and may God protect and sustain them as they rebuild their country and their lives.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Gerber