Mazel Tov to Rabbi Ike Serotta on 20 years at Lakeside Congregation!

Shabbat to celebrate Rabbi Ike Serotta

From my words to Rabbi Serotta last Friday night on the occasion of his 20th year at Lakeside Congregation:

We learn in Pirke Avot, the ethics of our fathers

 יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן פְּרַחְיָה אוֹמֵר, עֲשֵׂה לְךָ רַב, וּקְנֵה לְךָ חָבֵר, וֶהֱוֵי דָן אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם לְכַף זְכוּת: 

Yehoshua ben Perachia says, "Make for yourself a mentor, acquire for yourself a friend and judge every person as meritorious."

The first time I met Rabbi Serotta was at Olin Sang Ruby Union institute a favorite place of ours, and when he then came to Lakeside I was very happy about his selection as our Rabbi.  

During these last 20 years, he has been a teacher, mentor Rabbi, and a good friend to me and my family and to all of us in this room.  I could not have asked for a better partner for all things concerning lifelong learning and Lakeside Congregation.

I invite you to stand if Rabbi Serotta has officiated at your:

Baby naming

Became a Bar or Bat Mitzvah

Confirmation

at a marriage or other life cycle event

taught you at Torah study

Adult education class

Adult enrichment class 

Hearing a sermon…any sermon by Rabbi Serotta.

We have all learned from Rabbi Serotta, and I think I can safely say he has judged all of us with merit.  

We have a presentation from our current student body and I invite them up here to sing a special song with Todd Kessler for Rabbi Serotta.  Shabbat Shalom