Blog Index
Dear TRT Family, My journey over the past 19 months has made me more passionate about our congregation and about living life as a proud Jewish woman. I decided to read what I had written just a year ago for the newsletter, since I thought it would help me reflect and better relate to […]
My Dear TRT Family, As this year unfolds, we continue to build the strong relationships we have as a community. Covid-19 is still a looming risk we must take into consideration as we plan our activities for the upcoming winter months in order to ensure the wellbeing of our members and staff. Our virtual […]
Dear TRT Family, Seeing the first new moon in 5781 brings a sense of beginning. We just celebrated the Jewish New Year using a whole new format from the comfort and safety of our homes. Who ever thought about attending a High Holiday service in their living room? The anticipation for these days was so […]
Chag Sameach, Ten years ago, after years of being members in other temples, my husband Eli and I were looking for a better Jewish Education experience for our daughter Zohar. Little did we know that she would be the one to find the temple for us. When she met her lifelong friend Liam Klass in […]
Sep 2020 – 5781 My Dear TRT Family, It’s been a roller coaster ride as each month in 2020 presented us with yet another transition from our Rabbis’ retirement, to cantor transition, to moving all our programs online due to the pandemic. We worked tirelessly to adjust and support each other throughout this turbulent time. […]
My Dear TRT family, My first temple event for this month was in the desert. Seriously. Some would say I experienced the wilderness like B’Nai Israel leaving Egypt. I have to chuckle here for a moment as this was in the midst of the transition of our clergy. July 3rd was our Welcome service for […]
I know this summer is going to be a different one. Not only our TRT family becomes familiar with new clergy, but we also are required to mitigate the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic. We created a special taskforce to plan thoroughly the use of the building for education, worship, and other programs while addressing the […]
My Dear TRT Family, As I am wrapping up the first year of my presidency (only a month away), there is so much to think about: our challenges, our newfound insights, and the opportunities ahead. For me, these are times of self-reflection and discovery. The difficulties of the unfolding COVID-19 crisis have turned what may […]
My Dear TRT family, Let me begin with the hope that everyone is healthy and prepared for whatever the next few weeks and months will bring. The past several weeks have certainly tested us all. As this unprecedented pandemic evolves all around the world, it brings significant health concerns as well as economic uncertainty for […]
My dear TRT family, Since I started my role as a president, each time I enter Temple Rodeph Torah I have the honor of meeting the wonderful members who put their heart into volunteering, to make our community a thriving one. And 2020 is no different. Our volunteers continue to dream, create and design what […]
My Dear Temple Family, Over the last few weeks, as you can imagine, I’ve been busy. I began to facilitate the President’s Circle Meetings, and I am so delighted to meet those of you who were able to make it. The series of meetings have only begun, but I can already feel not only the […]
My Temple family, When I prepare for the High Holidays, I’m always reminded what a wonderful time of the year it is. I look forward to celebrating the holiday together my family: to cook together, to eat delicious food, and to catch up with what’s going on with their lives more deeply. The Hebrew High […]
Click here for the speech given by TRT President, Tmima Grinvald on Rosh Hashanah 5780 – September 30, 2019
Click here for the speech given by TRT President, Tmima Grinvald on Erev Rosh Hashanah 5780 – September 29, 2019
Click here for the speeches given by TRT President, Robbin Friedell in September 2018.
Click here for the speeches given by TRT President, Robbin Friedell in September 2017.
Click here for the speeches given by TRT President, Bob Dollinger in October 2016.
Several people have asked to hear recordings of the speeches given by TRT President, Bob Dollinger. These recordings are available here
At his final Board meeting as the President of TRT, Brion Feinberg gave a short speech. This blog attempts to capture what he said (or intended to say). In these final weeks, I have received lots of wonderful, positive feedback. Thank you all for all the kind words and encouragement – they are truly appreciated. […]
[I participated in the TRT Yishar Koach program this year. This program allows congregants to celebrate the anniversary of their Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and use the opportunity to re-examine how their Jewish identity has changed since then. The following words are from the introduction I gave before leading the congregation in reciting the Modeh Ani prayer.] […]
[I participated in the TRT Yishar Koach program this year. This program allows congregants to celebrate the anniversary of their Bar/Bat Mitzvah, and use the opportunity to re-examine how their Jewish identity has changed since then. The following words are from min-sermon I delivered during the service.]
I remember, like it was yesterday, being a teenager and, with total certainty, knowing that I knew it all. And I remember my parents telling me “you have so much more to learn.” But of course, given that I already thought I knew everything, I figured that they were wrong about this also. Now, on my anniversary of being 13 again, I have to admit – I was wrong. If I knew everything then, how could I possibly explain everything that I have learned since then?
In my “real” life, I provide marketing and strategic planning for technology companies. Here are some ideas and suggestions, based on my professional experience, that I believe may also improve our ability to market our temples. You have to sell what the customer wants to buy Many families thinking about joining a congregation are […]
The Scheidt Seminar was fantastic. The information was extremely helpful. But it was so much more than that. There was something special and magical, far beyond just the mechanics of learning together how to better lead a synagogue. We spent the full day on Friday working together with other presidents running similar sized temples. By late afternoon, we were friends, and we enjoyed sharing our stories and ideas with each other.
And then it was Shabbat …