Dear Friends,
 
Have you ever come to a weekday morning or evening Minyan to recite Kaddish for a loved one?  I have.  And I was sorely disappointed when the required number of Jewish adults weren't present. Not only could mourners and those observing a Yahrzeit not recite Kaddish, but key elements of the service could not be conducted, including the reading of the Torah (on Mondays and Thursdays mornings) or the public recitation of the Amida, the central prayer of every service.  Until recent months, we have been able to get a Minyan on most mornings and evenings.
 
In the last two weeks, we have failed to have a quorum 3 times.  This jeopardizes the foundation of our ongoing daily services which we offer not only to our own congregants, but to people who may be passing through Woodbridge during their mourning period, or who may be affiliated with other synagogues which do not offer a daily Minyan (some of whom chose to join B'nai Jacob because we provided an important service to them). 
 
I know that it will take several people to commit to come to weekday services to fill the void left by regulars who are no longer with us. So I am soliciting your help.  If you want there to be a morning and evening Minyan at B'nai Jacob when you have a Yahrzeit, or if you need to come to services to say Kaddish after the death of a loved one, God forbid, then please come as often as you can to insure that there is an ongoing Minyan NOW!  My great fear is that the six or seven people (total) who have been coming to morning services will become discouraged and will themselves stop coming. This would certainly put an end to our daily Minyan, and I think that it would be a tremendous loss to our congregation and our community.
 
Many years ago I was on the New Jersey Shore and asked a man what time the morning service was held. He said "8:15 a.m."  So I showed up the next morning only to find out that it was just him and me.  When I inquired further, he said "The service is at 8:15 am, but I'm generally the only one here!"  I hope that we never come to that at B'nai Jacob, but in order to insure the continued viability of our Minyan, I ask that you consider coming once or twice a week, or even once or twice a month to our 7:45 am weekday morning Minyan or 6 PM weekday evening Minyan.  Consider giving us an hour each week.  We can use a few good men and women to give new life to our morning Minyan.  Please consider helping us so that we can serve you in your time of need.
 
On a few occasions, people have complained "Rabbi, I'm angry... there wasn't a Minyan when I needed it!"  My responses were usually conciliatory - "I'm so sorry.  Why don't you bring a few family members to insure that we get a Minyan next time?"  At this point, I think I'm more inclined to say "If you come only for your own Yahrzeits, and don't support others when they need to say Kaddish or pray as part of a Minyan - how can you expect them to support you when you need it?"
We need to support one another to the best of our ability. Right now, we need those of you who can to help bolster attendance at our daily morning and evening Minyan to do so. 
 
Morning minyan times:  Sunday, 9:30 (during the school year), Monday-Fridays at 7:45 (20 minutes).   Evening Minyan:  6 PM (only 10 minutes).
 
A member of B'nai Jacob, known only as "The Last Row Minyanaire" wrote to me:
 
 
Shabbat Shalom,
 

Rabbi Joel M. Levenson