Rabbi Howard Morrison

Dear Congregational Family,

In November of 1999, I participated in a telephone interview with the co-chairs of the senior rabbi search committee at Beth Emeth. In late December, I flew to Toronto to meet with the entire search committee. In late January of 2000, I flew in to spend a Shabbat here, and I interacted with the various segments of the shul community. In mid-March of 2000, I was offered the position of senior rabbi, which began in August of 2000. A couple of weeks ago, I completed my twenty-second High Holy Day season with our synagogue. 

This week's Torah portion is called Lech Lecha. Our founding patriarch, Abram, is called upon by God to uproot himself from his homeland, from his birth place and from his parent's home to embark on a journey to an unknown land which God will show him. The result of the divine call is the beginning of Judaism, the Jewish people, and what is up to now a 4000 year heritage.

With differences to be sure, I and my young family at the time uprooted ourselves from a community that we knew. We heard the call to move from New York to Toronto. When I came here, my children were six and two; now they are twenty-seven and twenty-three.

I am grateful to all the members of our community. I am grateful to the teams of executives and boards who have led our synagogue. I am grateful to the current executive and board, which will complete their two year term next month. Being a synagogue volunteer is challenging enough. Noone asked to be a shul leader during the pandemic. I admire and respect the work done by all of our volunteers and synagogue staff during the last two years. To Malcolm Weinstein (president), Steven Greenwood (chairman of the board) and their team, I say Yasher Koach on a job well done and for all the countless hours spent keeping our shul safe and vibrant.

I now look forward to working with the next executive and board, who will be introduced at next month's annual general meeting. I wish you all Hatzlacha, success, in the next chapter of our synagogue's wonderful legacy.

I am confident that together we will maintain and grow our synagogue in new significant ways. I look forward to serving you, teaching you, learning from you, and connecting with you in the year and years to come. May God bless us all with good health, contentment, and purpose.

Sincerely,

Rabbi Howard Morrison