by Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback
It was a hot day. Abraham was sitting outside of his tent. He noticed three men passing by. He invited them to stay for a bit, offering them water and a shady spot to rest. But instead of bringing just water, he served them a veritable feast. According to our tradition, in addition to modeling the value of הכנסת אורחים – welcoming guests – Abraham also demonstrated to us the value of “ אֱמוֹר מְעַט וַעֲשֵׂה הַרְבֵּה – say little but do much.” (Pirkei Avot 1:15)
What an extraordinary Torah portion for this historic weekend in the life of our Stephen Wise Temple community. On Sunday we will dedicate our new Katz Family Pavilion and Shalom Garden, a place designed to make our entire campus more open, inviting, and welcoming; a place where we can gather to find cool shade for basketball or volleyball or a communal gathering on a hot day; a place where we can celebrate life’s simchas with a joyous feast.
Our beautiful campus and our beautiful facilities exist so that we can fill them with learning, meaning, and a deep sense of community that will inspire us to make the world a better place. Our Temple and Schools exist so that we can live out our highest values together.
Please join us on Sunday morning as we celebrate the architects, designers, builders, staff, leadership and donors that have made this project possible. Be here with us as we express our gratitude for what we’ve built and stay for Mitzvah Day so we can express together the values of our tradition that give ultimate meaning to these sacred efforts.