Michael Kinstlinger’s “Memory And Meaning” 

For a few reasons, and I’m not just saying this because it was requested by the rabbi, my COVID memories will always be connected to Beth El. 

Two of the last events I went to before everything shut down were at Beth El: the Purim Carnival and a Saturday night Bat Mitzvah.

About 60 days into the pandemic, my mother passed away. Having Rabbis Schwarz and Saroken on my family’s shiva Zooms (a new concept in the Spring of 2020) was reassuring and comforting. For those 30 days after, I did daily morning and evening prayers and felt very connected to the clergy and explained with pleasure to my daughters what those funny-looking things were that I was putting on my head and arm.  

At the end of each Friday’s morning prayer, that day’s clergy mentioned the clergy connection at 11am, which has become appointment viewing for me.