Every year at this time I think back to my first experiences with high holidays at Congregation B’nai Moshe. I seem to recall at least one year back in the mid 1950s the youth program being somewhere in Oak Park High School, while the adult services were being over in the Northland Playhouse.

For those of you who weren’t around, the Playhouse was a great big, white geodesic dome across from Northland Shopping Center. From the outside, it resembled a gigantic golf ball.

For the next ten years or so my memory of high holiday services was being reluctantly crammed into the weekday chapel of the Ten Mile building - with what seemed like hundreds of other children - under the instruction of Joel Roth, and later Mark Eichner. Were any of you there with me?

Those were the days good old days! I did not make it into the B’nai Moshe main High Holiday services until Elaine and I returned to Detroit from a brief stay in Johnstown, Pennsylvania about the year 1977.

Actually, even then we did not sit in the sanctuary, per se. My father preferred the temporary seats in the social hall right next to the very large stage. It seemed like we were about half a mile from the bimah. So, I suppose in some respects I have come a long way.

Enough of that. What’s been going on with our synagogue lately? Like most of you, we had a very eventful year. First, the good news. There is no need to worry. . . . We did not have 10 million dollars invested with Bernie Madoff.

I guess the bad news is we do not have 10 million dollars.

What certainly is not news is that in the past year we have faced financial challenges. However, thanks to a combination of your generosity; attention to every dime we spent; the strong commitment of all our staff; and a very tough budget process, here we are charging ahead into the new year.

My kippah is off to past president Steve Sperling, the budget committee under Steve Fine, and executive director Chuck Berris for what they were able to accomplish.

Whatever our current problems, though, I am sure it was worse during the Depression of the 1930s. Wandering around the internet one day recently, I came across a column by Rabbi Neil Kurshan of the Huntington Jewish Center on Long Island.

He quoted from a book by historian Beth Wenger, titled New York Jews and the Great Depression. (By the way - this book is actually listed in the catalog of our synagogue library. I have been looking for it there, but it has not been on the shelves for weeks. So, if you are the person who checked it out, please return it.)

Anyway, according to Rabbi Kurshan Ms. Wenger wrote, not surprisingly, “During the 1930’s synagogues struggled. . .” However, Wenger’s research found that by the end of the Depression “few congregations collapsed and most displayed a remarkable resilience”. Each day I proudly see Congregation B’nai Moshe showing that same sort of resilience. So it makes me very optimistic we do have a bright future.

Let’s briefly look at what we have done in just the last year.

We published a beautiful, innovative, user-friendly siddur – raising a substantial amount of money in the process. If you have not yet seen and used it, please come to Shabbat services after Sukkot is over.

We owe many thanks to the rabbi, cantor, and the fundraising committee led by Joel Shayne and Carol Pollack for their hard work to make this project a huge success.

We took other steps to modernize and streamline our Shabbat morning service - and will continue to do so. During the year we held several family Shabbat services that were well attended and well received.

Other programs have attracted young people and families from within and outside our membership.

That includes an innovative Purim night program, a special Shabbat dinner, and a magic show for Pesach. Tot Shabbat leader Kim Ford and member Beth Mealloy have been important in this effort.

Our member Barry Kaufman wrote a winning Federal grant application for funds to make our building safer and more secure. It was the only such grant awarded to a synagogue or church anywhere in Michigan. Thank you, Barry.

The Detroit Jewish Federation conducted an exhaustive review of our religious school – under the first year leadership of our superb education director Gail Gales. Their report was full of complimentary comments. The experts agree: Gail, our teaching staff, and school parents are doing a great job educating our youth.

Through the tireless effort and persistence of Gerry Katzman, storyteller Peninah Schram visited us as scholar-in-residence. She presented several excellent programs over the weekend. Gerry is hard at work on another big project for this year.

Cantor Berris led his annual get-away trip – this one to New York City. In addition, our cantor was instrumental in bringing a wonderful regional cantorial convention and an amazing concert into our building.

Of course, we continued to have a wide variety of social/educational programs for adults and children thanks to the Sisterhood, Men’s Club, the Programming Committee, the Adult Education Committee, the Friends of the Library, and other committees and groups. The commitment of our members is truly appreciated.

Finally, there was the event that was most significant to me: annual meeting to elect of officers and board members. I assure you that is one night I will personally never forget - or get over!

Perhaps there was one person who was more excited about it than me. And that would be Past President Steve Sperling – who I thank for his continued support and assistance.

Looking forward to the coming year, let me put in a plug for our fundraising efforts. There are so many ways you can help support the synagogue.

First, we are having a surge in members joining the Chai Club – those who voluntarily pay dues above the standard amount. We owe those folks a very big thank you. If you are able to join this club, we would love to have you do so.

On Rosh Hashana, Rabbi Pachter mentioned the Next 100 Years Club, which is the new name for the Annual Campaign. Please remember to make the most generous contribution you can.

Don’t forget about our Tree of Life by the sanctuary door to honor the simchas in your life and the lives of your friends and relatives We have programs that earn us money when you shop at Hiller’s Market and Kroger. Also, when searching the internet or making any on-line purchases, please have everyone in your family use the Goodsearch dot com website. These are easy, and free, ways to get donations to B’nai Moshe.

The next phase of our Siddur Tefilah LeMoshe project is the dedication of bookplates to honor or remember special people and special events in your lives. Be sure to submit your requests soon, before all of the siddurim are spoken for.

We adopted a new Gift Annuity Program. This is a way to assure yourself retirement income that is guaranteed by a major insurance company, while helping the synagogue at the same time. Contact Executive Director Chuck Berris for more information.

You all received a new B’nai Moshe pushke last week. Drop some coins in it every day and when it is full, bring it to the office to be emptied. By the way, this is a great way to involve children in tzedakah.

So – how are we going to use our money??

Plans are in the works for many synagogue activities this coming year.

Adult Education has an ambitious schedule of classes and events.

Social Action intends to offer an expanded series of programs involving all of our congregational family.

And there will be events sponsored by other committees, the Men’s Club, and the Sisterhood.

Finally, we are approaching a very exciting, once in a lifetime happening. As Rabbi Pachter told us all the first day of Rosh Hashana our Congregation is approaching the one-hundredth anniversary of its founding in two thousand eleven.

Pearlena Bodzin and Carol Pollack volunteered to lead a committee to help develop and coordinate exciting events and activities over the next year and a half in celebration of this auspicious occasion. We thank them for taking on this project.

This is going to be a lot of fun, so plan to participate - first, by helping with the planning, and then by attending. Watch for more information. Well, by now you are all probably eager to get back to praying and such. So I’ll end here by thanking you for allowing me the opportunity to serve as president of the congregation. I hope you all feel free to give me any helpful comments, thoughts and suggestions we can use to make B’nai Moshe even better for you - the members.

Once again, let me wish you all a very, very good new year! We look forward to it being a very active year. I hope to see you all often.

And may I be standing here again next year with more good news for you about our synagogue.