Friday night Josh and I did something different. We went to a temple near our house. Since we bought our house we have been talking about this temple. On paper, it sounded perfect for us, but we had never been there. We were definitely ready to try it out.
I have to say we were both really impressed. From the moment we walked in until the moment left, we loved everything about it. Services were awesome. They were the perfect mix of tradition, fun, singing, and community. We really enjoyed the atmosphere and how many families were there. For me, the singing and excitement reminded me of camp. For Josh, knowing that this temple offered creative services and traditional ones simultaneously was a big hit. The many services, community activities, and kids programs (for way in the future) were really exciting to us. Also, the proximity to our house was huge too. Not only did it only take 5 minutes to drive there, but when the mood struck him, Josh could easily walk over on holidays and saturdays.
Most of all, Josh and I just felt at home. Being in a large conservative synagogue like the ones we each grew up in was really, really nice. It had been a long time since we had found a temple that excited us and that we both agreed was a good fit for our very different needs. We also were really impressed with the clergy. Josh already knew the Rabbi and many of the congregants from school, but everyone was also incredibly welcoming to me. It was just a great night.
We had such high expectation for our first trip to our local temple. We wanted to love it, had already envisioned what our lives would be like in the community and had hearts set on it being a perfect fit for us. We were thrilled when our expectations were not just met but exceeded. While life is often busy these days and Shabbats are generally already full of friends and minyans, we can't wait to get back.
grt
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