 Although most of a temple administrator's day is spent with finance, facilities and the needs of our membership, I am a proud TBK congregant and greatly enjoy worship services. As is the case for many, the music is especially meaningful.
Music lifts our spirits and fills our souls. Described as the universal language, music connects us one to another. Song is the soundtrack of our lives, whether the voices belong to Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, James Taylor, Carol King, or even Lady Gaga and Kanye West. Music at worship services enhances prayer. Melodies that are familiar to us, from whatever era, allow confident participation. A new melody allows us to relate to familiar prayers in a new, potentially meaningful way. For centuries the musical tradition called nusach (and yes that is part of our Reform tradition too) offers distinct musical modes and melodies for various occasions, Shabbat, weekdays, festivals, the High Holy Day and others.
As a child, I was in the children's choirs and congregations of two important popularizers of new Jewish music for worship. Max Janowski composed some truly accessible new music, composed to be performed and to be sung by Reform congregations in the 1930's right through the present day. Debbie Friedman, guitar in hand, created another vocabulary of musical prayer. What a lucky young guy to have experienced both these inspired and worshipful Jewish musicians.
In November and December, Keri and Jason Berger and members of the band presented Rock Shabbat and Jazz Shabbat. These innovative presentations of familiar and new melodies bring out a large congregation and get toes tapping. We come together to experience the majesty and joy of our Shabbat with wonderful, innovative music.
There are more exciting opportunities in the next three months: January 13 join the congregation as the TBK Adult Choir participates in a special, swinging and spiritual version of Jazz Shabbat. On February 3 our lyrical Cantorial Soloist, Keri Lopatin Berger, brings us Shabbat Shira, a musical study Shabbat. And on March 23, the Spector Music Shabbat brings a celebration of music featuring the TBK Adult Choir to the TBK Sanctuary.
Music as a universal language, wedded with our ancient tradition of communal prayer, can sooth our aching souls, strengthen our weary bodies and lift us up as a community of caring friends and neighbors. I'm humming a familiar Jewish tune right now and can't help but smile. Can you hear it?
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 A few short years before my family returned to Rochester and became part of the TBK community, our congregation had completed a successful rabbinic search and installed Laurence Kotok as our Senior Rabbi.
In 1999 Rabbi Kotok created an opportunity for me to become involved in a process of leadership development, as he has done for so many congregants. By service on the Religious School committee and through a new course of study called Synagogue 2000, I, along with a diverse group of TBK members, acquired a "pedigree through tutelage" from talented lay and rabbinic leaders of our synagogue. Thirteen years later I have the opportunity to use this experience to appoint Sarah Liebschutz and Daniel Mendelson as co-chairs of the rabbinic search process for 2012-2014.  Sarah Liebschutz, a member of TBK since 1958, has served TBK on the last rabbinical search team, on the board of trustees, and was involved with Synagogue 2000. Many of you will recognize her from her right-front pew location for regular service attendance, others from her work as Professor Emeritus at SUNY Brockport and in the regional and state political scene or as author/authority on health funding and policy.
 Daniel Mendelson, a member of TBK since 2002, is currently a Vice President of TBK. Daniel and I met through the Religious School Committee, which he later co-chaired. Daniel is active with the TBK Brotherhood and is co-chair of this year's Tzedakah Campaign with his wife Linda. Many of you know Daniel as Professor of Medicine at the University of Rochester or through his pioneering work in geriatric care, palliative care and ethics in medicine.
During Rosh Hashanah Rabbi Kotok and I shared a roadmap for a common path forward based on forgiveness, trust, and a shared vision for TBK's future. The secular New Year gives us pause to reflect on the past, appreciate the present, and view our future with hope.
- Through Rabbi Kotok's past efforts, Sarah, Daniel, and I developed a mutual regard at TBK.
- In the present, our community is healing and thriving daily through the efforts of lay, rabbinic, and congregational leaders.
- For the future, Rabbi Kotok and I share complete confidence in the stewardship that Sarah and Daniel will bring to seeking our next Senior Rabbi to begin in August 2014. The search process will be open, inclusive, and will follow the guidelines of the URJ Rabbinical Placement Commission. Expect more notification on committees, sub-committees and timelines in Spring 2012.
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Monday January 9
Monday February 6
Thursday May 3