Dear Friends:

Like you, we finished our evenings last night with the news that the hostages from Congregation Beth Israel in Colleyville had been released and had suffered no physical harm. We join with you in expressing our profound relief and gratitude to God for their safety, and for the skilled first responders and loving community whose prayers sustained those trapped inside.

Yesterday’s ordeal is over, but the hard work of eliminating hate crimes and overcoming antisemitism continues. Temple is here to support you and to embark together on a path toward wholeness.

We know that you will have questions, concerns and feelings to share over the coming days, and we will be in frequent touch with continued details as our response develops. Below, Rabbi David Stern shares his reflections.
HEALING SERVICE THIS SHABBAT-- Exodus: Our Journey Toward Healing is the second in a series of five healing services this year, one for each book of the Torah. Explore the brokenness all of us carry and move toward healing through the timeless words of Torah, notes of music, reflection, meditation and community. The service will be held online and in person in Stern Chapel. So that we can join in solidarity as one community, this will be the only service held this Shabbat.

REFLECT AND GATHER – Temple staff and clergy are offering several opportunities to be in community, to seek comfort from one another and to process the painful events of yesterday. Watch Temple communications for links that will be offered later in the week.
  • We invite the entire community to a Zoom session with music, meditation, conversation and prayer to be held later this week.
  • Parents, grandparents and caregivers for our early childhood community are invited to share an age-appropriate prayer and moments of healing at the online Shabbat celebration at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 21.
  • We invite you to spend a few minutes with the Torah in Stern Chapel throughout the week.

SECURITY UPDATE – We are confident that Temple is the safest it has ever been. In November, we hired Paul Boothe as Temple's first full-time director of security, and he is constantly monitoring the situation at Temple and is in close touch with community law enforcement officials.

“Our faith home should be a safe home for community and spirituality,” said Paul. “We are in close communication with the Dallas Police Department, the Community Security Initiative of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, the City of Dallas and our private security firm, SRT. Any time people are in the building, they are protected.”

MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES – Temple clergy and staff are here for you.
  • Click here to be connected to a member of our clergy, or contact Meredith Pryzant, director of member support.
  • Herefortexas.com offers a mental health navigation line through the Grant Halliburton Foundation.
  • The Blue Dove Foundation offers a Misheberach (prayer of healing) for mental health.

B’shalom,

Rabbi David Stern
President Beth Gold
Meredith J. Fried, Executive Director