 |
||||||||
|
 |
|
||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
 |
|
By Jeff Agron, Co-President Every month brings changes and new developments to The Mussar Institute, but this past month has been particularly exciting and gratifying for me. In February, we launched a new program, Middah-A-Month. Most of you have received an invitation to join this new “community” and I hope that you take advantage of the many jewels that this program offers. I want to congratulate and publicly say yasher koach to Nina Yarus, one of our board members, who developed this program. Nina has been working for the better part of a year to make sure that this new offering is well presented, well researched and offers something new to those who want to delve deeper into Mussar thought and practice. I also want to thank all of those who have helped Nina in bringing Middah-A-Month to fruition: Modya Silver, Nathaniel Richman, Chaya Schneider, Margo Martin, Wil Sol, Seemah Berson, Camins Bretts, Lara Fisher, Marc Belcourt and Alan Morinis. Thank you all. I have also been reflecting on the fact that in a few short months, my two-year term as president of TMI will come to an end. I have thought about what I have accomplished. I know that I have done the best job that I can. I know that I have failed in many respects and succeeded in other respects. I have been on the board of TMI since the beginning (actually since before we were even incorporated), and I know that my contributions to TMI are not coming to an end. G-d willing, I will remain on the board and be able to work in new ways to help TMI grow. I can’t think of a better way to end my term than at our next board meeting on May 2. I am so excited about this meeting, as we will be spending Shabbat in Far Rockaway, New York in the community of Rabbi Perr, Alan’s teacher. Ever since I first read “Climbing Jacob’s Ladder,” I have tried to imagine what it must have been like the first time Alan met Rabbi Perr. If it were not for this meeting, most of us would never have been introduced to Mussar. I owe a great debt of gratitude to Alan for taking the risk he did and reaching out to Rabbi Perr, and to Rabbi Perr for his willingness to make Alan his student. My life would be far different were it not for that first meeting and their subsequent relationship. To think that I now will finally get to meet Rabbi Perr and spend Shabbat in his community – what a way to begin the next phase of my involvement with TMI. But I jump ahead to quickly. It is only March. I hope you had a joyful Purim and that you have a liberating Pesach.
|
|
|
||||
