(Courtesy of YIDB) On Sunday, March 26, the Young Israel of Deerfield Beach in sunny Florida held its annual shul dinner honoring its past president, Rabbi Dr. Martin Schloss and his wife Caroline.
After the uncertain years of the pandemic with no live shul dinners, the enthusiasm of the nearly 400 guests for their Young Israel was obvious to all who observed — a breath of fresh air and a wonderfully happy occasion.
As with all shul dinners, it was an opportunity for the many members to express their pride in their shul’s accomplishments over the past year. What made this lavish dinner so special was not only expressing their thanks to a leader who had been in his position before, during and after the pandemic, but also using the opportunity to give hakaras hatov to Hashem. Pride, sentimentality and thanks were the overwhelming thoughts of the evening.
If the newer members and the many guests wanted to learn specifically about all that this Young Israel does for its members on a daily basis and generally what this Century Village offers in recreational and entertainment services, all they had to do was listen to the words of the speakers and feel the pride of the rabbi, the shul honorees and the shul president.
Rabbi Yisroel Edelman, who extols the virtues of the Young Israel at every opportunity, enjoyed expressing the connection he developed while working with Rabbi Schloss during the pandemic (especially given that they are both avid Boston Red Sox and New England Patriot fans!)
The current president, Steven Schoenfeld, talking about leadership, quoted the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: “Those who serve do not lift themselves high. They strive to lift others high.” The president continued by saying that great leaders make people better and kinder than they otherwise would be.
Rabbi Schloss, along with his wife, enjoys being the walking, talking commercial for the Young Israel of Deerfield Beach. Using the Ohr Hachaim as his source, he explained the difference between the Mishkan of the desert and the Mikdash, by saying the Mikdash is for all time, even in galut. He discussed in detail and with pride the ample daily opportunities the shul offers in shiurim for both men and women; Mishnayot, Daf Yomi, Chumash, Navi, Pirkei Avot as well as a scholar-in-residence program all available live or when possible, on Zoom for those who can’t attend in person. He spoke of the endless chesed, tzedaka and organizational opportunities available throughout the year.
He concluded his message by saying that the Young Israel of Deerfield Beach is the very definition of a Mikdash and, indeed, a community model to follow.
