Parshat Shoftim
This week's Torah Portion speaks about the Mitzvah of appointing Judges and Officers in every city and community. The purpose of this mitzvah, is to establish law and order, and have morality and the values of the Torah, front and center in every Jewish community.
I can not help but reminisce a bit today. It was a special day.
Today, I began my twenty second year of teaching. From my first substitute teacher position in Oholei Torah Yeshivah in Brooklyn, NY, it has been an interesting and transformative ride. Twenty-Two letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Twenty-Two, the number of building blocks, the keys to understanding the Jewish faith and holy texts.
Today also began the fifth year of our day school-the Shmuel Bass Torah Academy of San Antonio. What began as a dream of starting a Jewish day school after the previous school closed its doors, is today a thriving school of more than fifty students, in kindergarten through eighth grade. The continued improvements and matriculation from level to higher level, is in no small part due to the outstanding achievements of my college and friend Rabbi Dov Nimchinsky, our head of school and the amazing people I work with each and every day.
Today, the school wing of the Synagogue building that was once so big, felt quite small. The chapel that was once half-full, was brimming with smiling and excited young Jewish souls. Blessings of no small measure. Indeed, a special day.
But while we celebrate the successes and achievements, something is often overlooked.
The board members- modern day keepers of the gates and cities of every single Jewish Day School. Judges and Officers.
The act of sitting on a school board, and volunteering time, money, heart and soul is not something too glamorous. In fact, it is a tremendous responsibility and sacred rite of being the gatekeepers of our most holy and prized institutions-the Torah education of our children. "Im Ein Kemach, Ein Torah - If there is no flour (financial sustenance), there is no Torah".
Over the last four years, my good friend Aaron Sarfati served as our president of the board. Along with him, many other fine and noble people, my wonderful wife Malkie included, stepped up to provide guidance, leadership and a steady hand. They provided our school with sound advice, vision and the stability we needed, to take a fledgling concept of a Torah Day School in San Antonio and make it into a contender. Only HaShem knows the extent of their sleepless nights, tears, determination and fortitude. We are who we are, because of them.
Now for the fifth year, a change in the guard. A new board, with new judges and officers to help guide and inspire our wonderful school and help shape the minds and souls of our future Jewish community. As our new president, my friend, Ronen Bass addressed the teachers and faculty, I could almost see his father Shmuel Bass (the school's namesake) of blessed memory smiling from above with pride and Nachas. "Don't worry" he told me on that first day of TASA, "its going to be great".
As our Torah portion tells us "Judges and Officers you shall place at all your gates", to preserve, protect and inspire the next generation of proud San Antonio Jews. May HaShem bless the board members of our school to take our beautiful gem to the next level and merit to see the fruits of their collective labor.
Hatzlachah Rabbah!
