She liked us!  Rabbi Evette Lutman served as our Scholar in Residence this past weekend.  She originally applied for our Religious Leader position but then withdrew her application.  She and her wife were concerned about how their lifestyle would be received in Cheyenne.  We invited her to come as a Scholar in Residence anyway, as part of the Ritual and Liturgy’s program of welcoming outside Religious Leaders once a month.

Rabbi Lutman and her wife came to Cheyenne and apparently had a great time.  Here’s a note she sent us about the weekend:

Jason and Dave. Shari and I would like to thank you for all your hospitality this past weekend. It was such a pleasure to pray and learn with members of your congregation.

Being there in person, attending the Equality Day at the Capitol and having honest conversations gave us both a whole new perspective of Cheyenne. Hearing about the work folks are doing to make Wyoming a more inclusive State is very inspiring.

Shari and I had a very serious discussion and if you are open to considering me as your next Rabbi, we are ready to commit to moving to Cheyenne. I believe we would be a wonderful match with Mt Sinai Congregation.

We recorded on Zoom Rabbi Lutman’s services and her class:

Here’s a link to her adult education class: https://youtu.be/v9G4TzLFfOg?si=0xZQB6e4FMvoUQZK

This is Saturday morning services:

https://youtu.be/zZioiNZRGcw?si=FMTVelKxtHGPDbg0

And Friday night services:

https://youtu.be/oWOUvPaIzjg?si=rckTKArMR-EIGbB0

We’re excited and delighted that Rabbi Lutman has changed her mind.  However, we also have several other applicants who will be coming to Cheyenne to lead services and meet the community.  On February 27^th, we will welcome Rabbi Eitan Krul.  Rabbi Krul is Israeli but recently served as a rabbi for a congregation in Houston, Texas.  And on March 13, we will welcome Rabbi Craig Rosenstein, who will be coming to us from Las Vegas.  And there are other applicants in the pipeline.  Our search committee has been working hard!

Plans have changed for Purim.  In the past, we have sent letters to the community asking you to participate in our Purim Bags.  Sisterhood would put together gift bags containing fruit, hamantaschen, groggers and games, and distribute them to the congregation.  The bags also included greetings from members of the congregation (and we charged for the greetings which made it a fundraiser.)

Phyllis Bloomberg says a part of the plan will be different this year:

Sisterhood will make hamentashen for Purim and will put together Purim bags.  There will not be individual greetings as there isn’t time to get letters sent out.  We’ll ask for donations.

We also want to remind you that the Synagogue library is giving away books for free.  Please contact the Synagogue office to arrange a time to come see them.  We’ll donate the extra books to the Delta Kappa Gamma book sale coming up at the end of the month if there are any left.

Here’s our Yiddish Phrase of the Week:

Er strashet di gendz afn boydem.    
He’s threatening the geese in the attic.