Dear Friends, 

On Friday night, 1,700 people packed our sanctuary and auditorium - because they had no choice. 

Thousands more joined us via live stream - because they had no choice.

The very word "mitzvah" itself implies that we do our blessed deeds not out of choice, but out of faithful obligation. Just days before, when our clergy met with other faith leaders to discuss how to respond to the emergence of organized white supremacists rallying in Boston, we knew what we had to do. 

Our community was faithfully obliged to open our doors to unite the faith communities of Greater Boston. Joined by our Governor, Mayor, and Attorney General, we reminded one another and the entire nation-whose eyes were on Boston-that in the face of hatred and bigotry love and strength always triumph. 

We, the community of Temple Israel, exist for a purpose, and that purpose is to ensure that the Judaism we live out is one that has a powerful impact on the world. All of our members know when they join Temple Israel and reaffirm their formal support each year, that we do not sit around and wait for the world to bring us compassion- we stand up and bring it to the world. In a climate such as this, one wounded by the shrills of hatred and bigotry, it falls on us to unite all voices of love to ensure that the songs of love overpower hate, that light annihilates darkness. All of those present felt this Divine truth viscerally, and those who were unable to make it can still  view our gathering. 

Friday evening's Interfaith Gathering of Unity, Love and Strength is one extraordinary example of what the Friends Annual Fund supports. In less than 48 hours, the Temple Israel community including clergy, staff, and volunteers worked with our partner organizations to bring the Greater Boston community together to create a safe, sacred, and peaceful place for the community to gather and reflect upon all that has happened and prepare for their next steps in these uncertain times. Your support is more important now than ever before. We will continue to fight for justice and support the vulnerable people in our community, but we need the strength and support of our community to make that happen. 

Please consider supporting the Temple Israel Friends Annual Fund with a donation today. It is times like these when we need everyone to do what the ancient Israelites did when they were organizing themselves in the frightful Wilderness- to "build a sanctuary that [God] may dwell among them." We are able to do what we do because of the heartfelt generosity of every single one of our members who give financial resources and those who give their time and energy, making our community stronger.