Taking a few days to travel to the Rabbinical Assembly Convention is not without stress.  Of course I worry about making sure that everything is fine here and praying that there are no emergencies during my time away.  On the other hand….

We all need time to be able to gain perspective and refocus.  And my infrequent visits to these conventions is one way to step back from the daily grind and listen to others talk about their communities and gain insight from their stories. 

What I can honestly tell you is that I almost always return with a great sense of appreciation for our community here and for the wonderful things that we are able to do each at every day at Congregation Bnai Israel in Gainesville.  I am more convinced than ever that we are a special congregation that is quite unlike any other and that the things that we do here are truly unique.  

I’ll try and post some specifics later in the day about my conference and some great plans for next year!  Very exciting!