A message from your co-presidents

At Jonah Tecktiel's bar mitzvah this weekend, Heather and I were given our first official responsibilities as Midbar Kodesh Temple's new co-Presidents, and if you were able to attend this standing room only life cycle event, you shared the joy of watching an accomplished young man take his place among the congregation. You watched the pride of his mother and father, his siblings, grandparents, family and fri

ends, and you watched me get taken off guard with emotion, as I presented his bar mitzvah certificate and gifts. Jonah, our third Tecktiel student to take the bima, remindedme that the Tecktiel family has been with us 9 years this coming summer. Jonah and my own son, Lev, have grown up together. As I stood infront of the congregation, I saw those 9 years flash before my own eyes.

Heather got to wrap up things with the announcements, which reminded us how busy we are as a congregation, offering programming, education and services to all. And then our capable Past President Cindy Goussak flawlessly moved almost 350 people into the social hall to enjoy a Shabbat kiddush luncheon, all made in house by volunteers, out of an apartment-sized kitchen. Members and staff quickly set up more tables to accommodate the happy crowd, reminding both Heather and myself of how we have celebrated so many life cycle functions in this beautiful building.

My wife Rina and I, along with our children, Lev and Tzofiya, consider Midbar Kodesh our second home. We have celebrated so many Chaggim here, and are so excited for Lev to become a Bar Mitzvah at the end of April. Heather and her husband Ed first joined Midbar Kodesh Temple when they married in 2003. In 2018 they will celebrate their own Ellie's Bat Mitzvah right here, where she attended Midbar Kodesh Early Childhood Center. They also have twin boys, Henry and Ari, who also attended the Early Childhood Center and are now students at the Midbar Kodesh Religious School.

Heather and I are honored to serve as Co-Presidents of Midbar Kodesh Temple, where our family histories run deep. We both have served on the board of directors and on various committees over the years, Heather with Early Childhood Center, galas and special events; myself with the youth department, fundraising and cooking for several functions.

You will be hearing more about our co-presidency and how we will share the responsibilities and our goals for taking Midbar Kodesh Temple into our 21st birthday year. For now though, we are enjoying that "Shabbat feeling" we all shared this weekend and preparing to welcome another full house of guests when Rick Recht joins us as an artist-in-resident this coming weekend. Shabbat services begin at 6:15 p.m. on Friday. Saturday morning services are at 9:00 a.m. and will be followed by a ruach filled kiddush. In the evening, families with young children will join with P.J. Library for a Havdalah experience and then at 4 p.m. on Sunday, January 22 we will fill our home with song. You can still get tickets here. See you then.

From us both,

Ryan Sterling and Heather Pack, MKT Co-Presidents