Last night, we went to Shabbat services at our old congregation to honor the 50th wedding anniversary of some friends of ours. I’ll note that since we last attended a service there, the Rabbi has left for a new congregation in Orangevale, we have transferred all of our volunteer responsibilities, and have joined a new congregation.
It was the oddest feeling. Although we were glad to see a number of individuals, I sat through the service feeling absolutely no emotional connection with the congregation as a whole or even to the service. I felt like the “mythical” fly-on-the-wall, just watching from above without being involved. It was the wierdest feeling.
We also had to spend some time comforting our daughter. The family we thought was moving to our new congregation with us (and whose daughters are best friends with my daughter) are instead moving to a different congregation that is closer to them. This left my daughter all upset, as she is all worried about making new friends in her new religious school. We’ll likely make a havurah of our own with that family, and other family we are close with, so that our girls can stay together.
I know that moving to the new congregation is the right thing to do. I’m looking forward to making new connections there (and not volunteering for a year, except perhaps to see if they want me to go to the regional biennial in February 2005). The connection is certainly gone from the old place.
