Summer 2026
Temple Sholom
Monroe & North Streets
P.O. Box 501
Galesburg, IL 60402-0501

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

It is an honor to be writing my first president’s note to you. I am moving into this position a bit early, as past president Jonah Rubin moved with his family, Michal and Rafi, for a great job opportunity for Michal in Birmingham, Alabama. I know I speak for everyone at the temple when I say we will miss each of your faces, perspectives, questions, joys, unique skills, and little screams of delight. More

Winter/Spring 2026

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:

Like so many in our communities – whether local, national, or global – I have found myself these past few months trying to grapple with so much uncertainty everywhere.

Conventional wisdom often holds that religion offers a salve for such anxieties by reassuring us that, no matter our own limitations, we are part of a pre-determined plan whose truth are set high above. But, as so often seems to be the case, common sense is very much not Jewish wisdom. We all know the saying, “two Jews, three opinions” or can rehearse a good “On the one hand…. But on the other hand….” Jews have no single sense of contemporary authority, no clear sense of the end times, and no clear dogma. The rabbis of the Mishna taught that there were 70 faces of the Torah, 70 different, equally valid interpretation of the Bible. I think of this often, at the end of our divrei torah, when members of our Temple often chime in with their own interpretations, doubts, and approaches to the week’s parshah.More

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:

Recently at my job, I’ve been interacting with young Jews across the country, many seeking Jewish community and support for ritual spaces they can call home. Often, these conversations understandably begin with them asking for clerical support.

Befitting the old joke, I am of two opinions of these conversations. On the one hand, I remind them that Judaism is special in the way we emphasize community over clergy. Unlike our Catholic and many Protestant brothers and sisters, there is no ritual that is dependent on ordained clergy. There is nothing that ten laypeople standing in a room cannot do that they would be able to if only they had a rabbi present.More

SUMMER 2025

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:

My childhood rabbi used to lament that so many people would come to Temple only during the High Holidays. If you are going to come to Temple only once a year, he would say, you should have more fun than that! You should come for Passover or Sukkot.

So it was with great delight that I saw the Temple so packed with people – some who are there every Friday night and so who are there only once or twice a year – for our Passover seder, singing, celebrating, praying, and eating together. It drove home to me that our Temple is so much more than just a place of worship. It is a community in every sense of the word.More

Fall 2024

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:

I’m so honored to have been chosen by you at the Annual Meeting to be the next president of Temple Sholom. The confidence you are placing in me is humbling.

I have a tough act to follow! If you see Faye in the coming weeks, please thank her for her incredible service. During her tenure as president, the Temple oversaw an unprecedented fundraising campaign to secure our future, the hiring of our first local Rabbi in years, the continued vibrancy of our Sunday school (which rivals that of larger congregations in Peoria and the Quad Cities), and the continued vibrancy of our Jewish community.
More

Summer 2024

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:

I would like all of you to think of your contributions to Temple Sholom.  Our community is strong and that strength comes from all of you.   Each of us contributes in our own way.

Some teach, lead services,

Bring food, send money,

          Some clean, rake leaves

Make calls, give consolation.

Some make music, others listen,

Some send reminders, others monitor our funds,More

Winter/Spring 2024
Temple Sholom
Monroe & North Streets
P.O. Box 501
Galesburg, IL 60402-0501

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE:

Thinking about forgiveness

Although it is not time for the High Holidays and the season of making amends, it is never inappropriate to take time for introspection.

At Temple Sholom we are a small community and a family.  Like many families, we have our interpersonal conflicts, varying priorities and communication issues.  We support each other.  And, we annoy each other.  We say nice things and we say things that we wish that we hadn’t.More