High Holy Days Ticket Pick Up
I have never seen someone rearrange a pretzel tray so many times – well, I had never really seen a pretzel tray. It was five years ago – I recently had graduated from college, I had just returned from working at my childhood summer camp, URJ Camp Eisner, and I was starting my first job in the Jewish professional world.
I was working along the Old York Road corridor as the secondary administrator in a Hebrew School and had popped into the main office to grab some paper. And there it was – a pretzel tray and a HUGE box of envelopes. It was High Holy Day Ticket Pick Up. Being the curious Jewish professional I was, I asked “Why not just send them?” I am going to be honest, they gave me a business focused answer about dues and postage, but they also said it was nice to reconnect with congregants after the summer. I liked that part. And the pretzel part.
This is my first High Holy Day season as the Community Engager of BZBI. When I was offered the job in the late fall, I was thankful I was starting mid-year and not right before the High Holy Days. However, I can tell you that from Day 1 of this job I wanted to try the High Holy Day ticket pick up at BZBI – being an urban synagogue, I thought it was a no brainer.
I have rosy-colored images of congregants swinging by on their commute to and from work, or with a Starbucks coffee in their hand, or during drop off or pick up for school, or with Rittenhouse Market grocery bags in tow, to grab their tickets. We will chat, comment on our summer tans, discuss how the Eagles did in week one[1], and touch base. Our lay leaders will be recruiting volunteers for the new initiatives we have prepared and constructed during the summer, our gift shop will be busy with people buying items for the upcoming holidays, and we will be “selling” books (really suggested donations) with all proceeds going to PJ Library and our two schools. Our clergy, staff, and lay leaders will be around to mix and mingle. There will be apple and honey cake out and together as a community, we will greet each other as we enter another Tishrei, another “Welcome back to School” season, another football season, another year.
So, let’s try it! Of course, if you can not come, we will send you your tickets. To me though, this is not about tickets or dues[2], this is about reconnecting as a community. I look forward to seeing you, to meeting those of you I have not met, and catching up! High Holy Day ticket pick up times are as follows:
Monday, September 12, 5:00-7:00 PM (Please stay for our free SICHA between Dr. Ruth Calderon & Rabbi Ira Stone).
Wednesday, September 14, 8:30-10:00 AM & 5:00-7:00 PM
Thursday, September 15, 8:30-10:00 AM
[1] Please note I am not an Eagles fan, but I will watch them against the Browns Week 1 – what a barn burner.
[2] I will mention if you have not renewed your dues, please do!
