Photoessay #456 - Small oneg

Informal shot of the oneg (reception following) shabbat at Temple Beth El in Rockford last Friday night. It was a small informal children's service run by my sister's friend from high school days who is now a local judge. The oneg took place in the foyer rather than their major reception hall (currently full of rummage sale items for a fund-raiser).

Stern and Mary, a couple about my age, take my mother to services every Friday night. I am so grateful to them for doing so. My mother had stopped attending services for several years due to my father's ill health. So much more fun when you have somebody to go with. She really enjoys it and often (in fact during this very evening) takes them to dinner 'across the street' at Wesley Willows beforehand.

My sister points out that the board they used to cut the challah was the very one that she brought back from Israel as a gift to the temple in the late 70s.

My sister plans to have a bat mitzvah at this temple in Rockford in April. She had hoped that the rabbis would be there so they could work out some arrangements. She lives in Lafayette, IN, but she wants my mother to attend.