B"H
On Monday March 11, 2019 Anshei Emuna will celebrate with over 260 people at our annual gala. Although predominantly intended to be a fundraising event, it will also highlight accomplishments and successes of our shul over the past 41 years. We are overwhelmed with the turnout, the quality of our honorees, and the dedication and hardwork of the gala committee. An event of this nature takes months to organize and I believe (having some inside information) that the evening will be amazing.
A picture is worth a thousand words. I would like to share with you another upcoming event of which I am very proud. Immediately following the gala, my wife and I and other Anshei Emuna families are flying to Cartagena, Colombia. Our member and dear friend, Ximena Levy, will be celebrating a special birthday there, but we will also be donating a Torah to the local Jewish community. A Torah in our shul that was pasul was completely refurbished and will now be given to the Jewish community in Cartagena. The shul was established by converts to Judaism who are descendants of Jews that were forced to convert to Catholicism during the Spanish Inquisition. I will write more about the community upon our return, but this idea has been in my mind since my visit a few years ago to other converso communities in Colombia. We contacted Rabino Goldshmidt from Bogota, Colombia to vouch for their integrity and sincerity.
Another aspect of being a Modern Orthodox shul is our commitment to Israel and its citizens. Last shabbat we were honored to hear Jared Millen, the son of Yehuda Millen, talk about his decision to make aliyah and join the IDF. We are exceedingly proud of Jared and impressed by his commitment to Israel and the Jewish people. As part as the celebration of Purim and to fulfill the mitzvah of Mattanot L’evyonim, we collect tzedakah for poor families in Israel. The funds will be given out on Purim day to help those that are in need. If you are interested in contributing to this worthwhile cause please go online to ansheimeuna.org or phone Eileen at 561-499-9229.
We are also having a pre-Pesach Friday night dinner with a twist. Instead of having a set price, the cost is as little or as much as you want to give. There is no minimum donation and, needless to say, there is also no maximum. We are doing this in order to pay our deepest respect and honor to a number of our daily minyan attendees: Howard Pickett, Naftali Martin, and Ed Hoffman. A shul is only as successful as its ability to ensure a daily minyan 365 days a year. It is only because of the dedication of these individuals that Anshei Emuna continues to be a beacon of light in the Delray Beach Jewish community. Everyday we see new faces who rely on the knowledge that there will always be a minyan at our shul.
