"I'm reviewing the situation..." As I write this bulletin article, we are about one month away from the opening performance of Sinai Temple's production of "Oliver!" If you thought last year's production of "The Music Man" was great, wait until you see "Oliver!" Please support this major fundraising effort of Sinai Temple by volunteering to help out in a variety of different ways, by coming to see the show, and by bringing lots of your friends and neighbors to see the show! Last year the final two performances were sold out; let's see if together we can make this happen once again!

Once again, I am looking ahead to autumn. The High Holiday Choir will begin to rehearse in early August. The choir will sing for the evening services for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, so choir members can sit with family and friends during the other services on the holidays. As always, we would love to welcome some new singers. Sing- ing in the High Holiday Choir is a great way of deepening your appreciation of the liturgy, and it's also a great way to make some new friends! No previous choral experience is required, and you don't have to be able to read music (although you will learn a little bit!), you just need the desire to sing and learn. I will provide a CD of your vocal parts to anyone in the choir who would like to have one, so you can practice the music at home or in the car. If you would like to sing with the choir this year, please let me know soon!

A big part of the High Holidays is Sinai Temple's tradi- tion of lay Torah readers. It is once again my intention to have all the Torah readers chosen, and for everyone to have their portions and CDs in hand by June 1st. This will give readers more than 3 months to practice! If you would be interested in chanting Torah for the High Holidays, please let me know soon!

Last year at this time I offered the possibility of a Torah chanting class. A few people mentioned that they would be interested in such a class, but alas, it was not enough to make a viable group. But because this is such an im- portant and holy task, I am going to offer the opportunity once again this fall, if there is sufficient interest. The class would meet weekly over a period of about 10 weeks, and yes, there will be "homework" assigned! (That's the only way you can learn to do this!) The class would culminate with the graduates chanting some verses of Torah during a Shabbat service. If you can already "decode" Hebrew (reading letters and vowels, but not necessarily with any comprehension), and would like to learn the sacred art of chanting Torah, please let me know that you would be in- terested! If I get enough of a response this year, I will offer the class this autumn.

Finally, this May we shall bid a fond farewell, or "L'hitraot," to Sheila Shear, our beloved Director of Education. During my more than 20 years as a Cantor, I have worked with many different educators. Some were very creative, and others were efficient administrators; but it was rare to find someone who could do both of these things well. Sheila Shear was one of these rare ones, and it has been my great privilege and pleasure to work with her during the past four years here at Sinai Temple. Sheila, we wish you the best of luck down in Charleston, but we will miss you!

Ivdu et Hashem B’simcha! Serve the Holy One with Joy!

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