Baruch HaShem
Since the beginning of the year, we have not been pleased with Froggy's religious school. Last year was not great but it was the first year for the grade level so I was accommodating. When her class was short-shifted again this year I was not so easy going. I tried to work with the administration but my suggestions and comments and eventually harsh complaints were not met well.
In November, we began looking into other options. I really wanted to go with Chabad so that we could stay with the same synagogue. One thing after kept us from visiting at the last minute. Finally when we went I forced to accept that it was not the right choice for us. We also visited a conservative synagogue that is near the JCC. It is the same synagogue where I had tried unsuccessfully to enroll Froggy in Daisies at the beginning of the year. Froggy loved the class and they were very welcoming.
During the winter break, we finally accepted that we need to switch and officially notified our syngogue that we would be leaving the synagogue since changing schools means also changing membership affiliation. I will need to continue leading services for a couple of months until someone else can take over since I committed to that before the problems began.
Today we officially joined the new synagogue. Froggy started school. She came out of class telling me all about it including the new word she had learned - טוס - which the teacher translated as peacock. This is the first time she has ever come out of school telling me something new she learned.
While she was at her class, I decided I needed to forgo the computer work I had brought with me to do and instead explore the offerings of our new home. Today was the one day this year that the Sisterhood brought in their special guest speaker from the Federation. The presentation was amazing and the discussion and fellowship filled a niche inside me that I had realized was as empty and vacant as it was until it was filled. Today was the day that the membership committee was putting together new chavurah. I met a mom whose daughter is about 1 week older than Froggy and watching them interact was like watching Froggy and I in a mirror. Later I learned that she is actually a foster mom in the process of finalizing the adoption.
All in all it was a truly religious experience. It feels like HaShem was showing me that we had made the right choice in moving to this shul despite the sense of loss we were feeling. I think that this will truly be a good home for our family. Baruch HaShem.
In November, we began looking into other options. I really wanted to go with Chabad so that we could stay with the same synagogue. One thing after kept us from visiting at the last minute. Finally when we went I forced to accept that it was not the right choice for us. We also visited a conservative synagogue that is near the JCC. It is the same synagogue where I had tried unsuccessfully to enroll Froggy in Daisies at the beginning of the year. Froggy loved the class and they were very welcoming.
During the winter break, we finally accepted that we need to switch and officially notified our syngogue that we would be leaving the synagogue since changing schools means also changing membership affiliation. I will need to continue leading services for a couple of months until someone else can take over since I committed to that before the problems began.
Today we officially joined the new synagogue. Froggy started school. She came out of class telling me all about it including the new word she had learned - טוס - which the teacher translated as peacock. This is the first time she has ever come out of school telling me something new she learned.
While she was at her class, I decided I needed to forgo the computer work I had brought with me to do and instead explore the offerings of our new home. Today was the one day this year that the Sisterhood brought in their special guest speaker from the Federation. The presentation was amazing and the discussion and fellowship filled a niche inside me that I had realized was as empty and vacant as it was until it was filled. Today was the day that the membership committee was putting together new chavurah. I met a mom whose daughter is about 1 week older than Froggy and watching them interact was like watching Froggy and I in a mirror. Later I learned that she is actually a foster mom in the process of finalizing the adoption.
All in all it was a truly religious experience. It feels like HaShem was showing me that we had made the right choice in moving to this shul despite the sense of loss we were feeling. I think that this will truly be a good home for our family. Baruch HaShem.
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