OUR WORK AS Jewish educators is predicated on the faith that we can inspire our students to personal growth. Further, we believe that by studying the past we can prepare our students successfully for an unknown future. Thus, we act as translators of a sort: We strive to make the ancient wisdom of our people relevant to contemporary sensibilities.

The most compelling questions of value and meaning have remained largely the same since the days of the Bible. We look to our people’s history for direction as we ask ourselves the same questions that confronted our ancestors, like “What kind of person do I want to become?” and “What kind of world do I hope for myself and for future generations to inhabit?” Our people have struggled with these questions over the centuries, providing us with a legacy of their responses under varying circumstances.

THIS YEAR WE HONOR and celebrate Rabbi David Posner as he prepares to retire after 40 years of devoted service to our congregation. During these four decades, Rabbi Posner has taught us, led us in worship, celebrated with us at our life-cycle events and comforted us as we mourned — always with compassion, kindness and generosity of spirit. He has been committed steadfastly to helping his congregants live meaningful Jewish lives.

IT IS THE SONG, the Sublime Song, the First of all Songs, the Song of Solomon. Rabbi Akiva said of Shir HaShirim, “All the writings are Holy, and the Song of Songs is a Holy of Holies.”

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My beloved spoke and said to me:
Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.
For lo, the winter is past,
The rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
The time of singing has come,
And the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
The fig tree sweetens her green figs
And the vines are in blossom, giving their fragrance.
Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!

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