What a great Purim we had at PTS. I was so happy to be singing to a full house with my family and our friends the Tribal Blues Band for our PTS Purim-Palooza Concert.

This event could not have occurred without the "Angels" that surrounded and provided help at every step of way! Kathleen Shugar made it a dream with her organizational wizardry, Rose Calandar, Marcia Barkoff, Ashley Feldbrill, Joanna Bradley, Amy Mallor and our office staff. Jerry Ezrin's program was a work of art. Alan Zeichick captured the magic on camera and posted it right after on Facebook. Tons of support from President Brian Hafter and our Temple Board -- a giant Toda Raba!!

The very next morning we had a jumping Sunday school celebration complete with a Purim spiel and Megilla reading... and 45 minutes after this all happened I was off to Davis with my family and our band in a 15-passenger van for a 5:00 PM Purim concert at Beit Chaveirim.

As we all get ready to observe our festival of Pesach we should all give thought to working toward peace in the world. This festival of freedom reminds us that the Israel of the Torah and the Israel of today with its neighbors still plays such a key part in the future of our planet. I believe that a strong Israel is the only way to go. That means that we need to be there with our support for the State of Israel on all levels.

That brings us to May 1, when PTS hosts the community wide Yom Hashoah Observance. Our students along with students of the North Peninsula will join together with survivors of the Nazi persecution for a day of remembering and study. There will be stories told of families that endured more than we can imagine and acts of great goodness from places and people that one would never have guessed. Our Teen Singers will offer a song of hope during the short service along with music from players, cantors and congregants from our respective congregations -- both churches and synagogues. Clergy stand together for this day of remembrance.

On June 5 our Zimriyah and Teen singers will be performing at the Israel In The Gardens annual celebration at the Yerba Buena center in San Francisco. Last year our Zimriyah performed beautifully and PTS had a large group there for this day of community celebration. Last year it was really a great way to celebrate and this year should be even better. Learn more at http://www.sfjcf.org/gardens/2011/, and please join us!