President's Message - August 2020

Dear Friends,

It is only August, but I think we are all ready to put 2020 in the rear-view mirror! What a year it has been, and we are barely over halfway through it. Well, instead of rehashing all the bad stuff that has happened, I decided to focus on the good stuff. Yes, there are things we can be grateful for this year. These are some of mine. I am grateful for the opportunity work with an outstanding group of people on the temple board. I am grateful we had the opportunity to honor the Susser family for a century of service to our community during our annual meeting. I am grateful that we have a Rabbi who has embraced the uncertainties of our current situation and created meaningful online experiences for us. I am grateful for Debbie Bustillo who keeps our congregation running. I am grateful for Carol Rehtmeyer and her leadership of Sisterhood. Carol is an upbeat, positive person who is always looking for fun and creative ways to bring us together and raise a little money for our temple. On a personal note, I am grateful for my mother who keeps me grounded, and for my friends who keep me sane. Finally, I am grateful that the pandemic brought my son, Ryan, to Corpus Christi. I know that he is looking forward to returning to Indiana for his senior year of college, but I will always treasure being able to spend these past five months with him. It is a gift of time with my son that I did not expect to have.

The High Holy Days will be here in just over a month. They will look different from years past, but we are working to create a meaningful experience for all of us. As we begin to think about the new year, and we contemplate all of the trouble and strife we faced over this past year, I encourage all of you to take some time to focus on things that you are grateful for.

My friends, please stay safe and stay healthy. I look forward to seeing you online and at the temple soon!

L’Shalom,

Greg

Gregory Marks

President, Congregation Beth Israel