| A Note from Rabbi Creditor Rebeginning Our Story On the way into the Preschool's Pretend Shabbat this past Friday I stood for a moment in the lobby of our shul. I listened to the children and parents sharing sweet moments before we began singing brachot and jumping around in our sanctuary, thanking our teachers for the Torah they shared during the past week. These spontaneous moments before the planned ones are just so delicious. They stay with me as I engage in many other aspects of our communal life: the births, the deaths, the celebrations and sadnesses. We are blessed, in the deepest of ways, to not wait for these climactic moments to see each other. It is also the conversation in the shul parking lot or the comments on the shul's Facebook group, the pinochle game and the kitchen gatherings that give our sacred community its colorful texture. I'm currently in Baltimore, participating my yearly professional retreat through the continuing rabbinic education program of the Jewish Theological Seminary. It is one of those combinations of spontaneity and prepared encounters that refreshes the soul, reminding me that, for all the structured (ritual) moments I celebrate, it is also the informal friendships that inspire and fill life. We are a special community, Chevreh, one that skillfully mixes the sacred ingredients of Keva (structure) and Kavannah (spontaneity) and passionately yearns for more of each. Please think about stepping into a Keva or Kavannah moment at shul sometime soon! For Keva, see some of the programs on the left or on our online calendar (netivotshalom.org). For Kavannah, just show up and schmooze whenever you find a moment! We've already received a strong response to the Community Building Committee's Chavurot survey - if you haven't filled one out yet, hard copies are available in the shul office. These new groups will be yet another wonderful way to replenish, reconnect, and share our stories! May our year find us closer together, experiencing all the vibrancy of the dynamic, thriving community we create every day at Netivot Shalom! Kol Tuv, Rabbi Creditor | 
Women of the Wall @ Netivot Shalom! 
