Communities are funny. They can argue and bicker like family one day and rally together to support a cause the next. They can self-destruct and be on the verge of extinction due to internal arguments, and then surge to incredible strength when threatened from the outside. On the national level, this resurgence to nationalism is certainly a well-known phenomenon. But what happens on the micro-level of our small community at Temple Beth Sholom, where we work hard to prevent internal strife? How do we create a surge of togetherness without first going through a destructive phase? What is our rallying call? What is your rallying call?

The Temple exists due to the work of volunteers and staff, the commitment of its membership to their financial obligations, and the generosity of donors. In large part, our community is internally motivated for individual, personal reasons. Maybe it is religious belief, maybe it is family tradition, maybe it is the social activity, or maybe it is a sense of responsibility to the larger Jewish community. Just as there is no wrong answer here, there is also no typical answer. We are all different people motivated by different aspects of our common faith.

Regardless of your personal motivation, it is time to rally and answer the call in any way that you can. Whether it is accepting a call and position from the Nominating Committee, completing your personal financial commitments to the Temple, or making a donation to the Peter Hereld Fund, we need each of you to answer the call. This spring, volunteers at the Temple are making it easy for everyone to get involved by coordinating entertaining and low-cost fundraising events. On March 17, we will have the much-anticipated return of the TBS variety show titled Tonight’s Going to Be a Good Night. Come see your friends perform, cheer them on as they have their 15 minutes of fame, and support the Temple. On Saturday night, May 5, return to TBS for a second Saturday night show when we will have our annual Comedy Night. Thanks to a generous sponsor this year, nearly all of the proceeds from Comedy Night will directly go to the Temple.

Listen for your rallying call and heed it’s beckoning. Support your Temple now to ensure it will be here for the next generation of our community.