A Word from Rabbi Schulman - 11/5/14

Now that the High Holy Days have concluded, I have been engaged in planning our next congregational trip to Israel. I can honestly say I am getting really excited about our journey that will take place in June 2015.

Fortunately, planning this trip has the advantage of building upon the success of our first journey to Israel three years ago. I have been combing through my notes, which I meticulously wrote at the conclusion of each day of our Israel trip, to identify the experiences that are absolute keepers and the few which should be discarded.

I have also relied upon the questionnaires which participants filled-out near the end of our trip. These questionnaires provide detailed evaluations of our lodging, food, air transportation, the guide, the driver, the places we visited and the experiences we shared. The only thing left out was a question about evaluating the rabbi. Hey, I had nothing to do with this! It was the tour operator who provided this questionnaire.

Speaking of tour operator, we are going to utilize the same company that did a fine job three years ago. Last week, I had a productive conversation with one of their travel representatives. We discussed at length all the components that make for a successful trip. It is my expectation that by the time we hold our Kick-off Israel Trip meeting on November 18, I will not only be able to share information about the dates of the trip and the itinerary but also specific information about the cost.

Our meeting on Tuesday night, November 18, will begin at 7:30pm. By the way, you do not have to be a member of Temple Beth Torah to join us on our journey. So if you know someone who might be interested in learning more about our plans for June 2015, please feel free to invite him or her to come November 18.