TBT Blog

My kids are going through a Star Wars phase. There are many drawings of Yoda around our house and Jedi lightsaber training abounds. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit this, but when we finally sat down to watch Star Wars for the first time this week, we decided to start with Episode I: The Phantom Menace (if you are appalled by this decision, my filmmaker husband agrees with you). The kids loved every second of the movie and while I found it to be pretty ridiculous, there was one moment that stood out to me. 

The Jedi master Qui-Gon Jinn recognizes “the force” and the potential for greatness in a young boy, Anakin Skywalker. Qui-Gon tries to get Anakin into the Jedi training academy, but at nine years old, he is already deemed “too old.” He wants to become a mentor to Anakin, but is basically told not to break the rules of “the system.” When Qui-Gon Jinn realizes the situation requires the use of unconventional methods, he meets Anakin at eye level, promises not to give up, and says to him, “always remember, your focus determines your reality.” 

So much has changed at TBT in the last year, and most of it was done through unconventional methods. There is a typical “season” for hiring clergy and when we not only ignored the traditional timing but also posted for atypical positions, it made a lot of people nervous. But I knew in my gut that it was time to break the mold and we remained focused on our needs. That focus has paid off and the dream has finally become our reality! 

With Rabbi Dusty Klass and Eran Sabo officially starting this week, the team of TBT staff is nearly complete. Launching our Solomike Early Childhood Center is an important part of the vision we are building toward, and finding our SECC Director is the final piece of the puzzle. I have been eagerly waiting for summer so that we can all start dreaming and planning together. 

As the book of Numbers reminds us time and time again (including in this week’s Torah portion), the Jewish vision of leadership holds up shared responsibility, collaboration, and transparency as three critical elements to success. Of course I am happy to simply have more help, but more importantly, it’s the partnership that I am looking forward to the most as we start planning for the High Holy Days and the school year. And just like Star Wars, our Torah portion gives a stark reminder through Korach, that when we grow into our leadership potential, we must do so with extreme care. (DOUBLE SPOILER! Korach abuses his power and ultimately gets swallowed into a hole in the earth as punishment for rebelling. Anakin is Darth Vader. Dun dun duuuun.) Don’t worry, we’ll do our best to avoid a Darth Vader or Korach situation here. 😉

There will be many opportunities to celebrate with us and get to know all of our wonderful new staff. Rabbi Dusty and Eran will be leading the Saturday morning Shabbat service this week and I hope you will join us next Friday, July 12, for our official “welcome” Shabbat. Whether it’s at Shabbat, an Adult Learning program, or any of our other community gatherings, I know that it will be apparent to all that the force is with us!