Reflections and Updates from Rabbi Dov Gartenberg

Dear Friends,

I hope you had a meaningful and inspiring experience during the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe). I recently returned from the East Coast with my partner, where we joined a beautiful Rosh Hashanah retreat at the Pearlstone Retreat Center near Baltimore and spent Yom Kippur with the Lab/Shul community in New York City. Both experiences were moving in different ways and deeply reflective of the times we are living through. I look forward to sharing more reflections in a blog post after Shabbat.

I’d also like to update you on several upcoming programs: 

• Rabbi Arthur Green’s Visit  

  Due to unforeseen obligations, Rabbi Green will no longer be able to travel to New Mexico. Instead, he will offer an online public lecture on Wednesday, October 22, from 7–8:30 pm MDT. The topic and full details will be shared early next week. 

• Mini-Course: Judaism for the World—The Jewish Thought of Rabbi Arthur Green  

  This course, led by Rabbi Dov Gartenberg, begins on Sunday, October 5 at 4 pm MDT and will meet four times. The final session, featuring Rabbi Green, will be held online on Thursday, October 23, from 4–5:30 pm MDT. Click HERE for details.

• Retreat Update  

  The Shabbat with Friends retreat in Truchas, NM, originally scheduled for October 24–26, has unfortunately been cancelled. 

Upcoming Programs and Changes

Looking ahead, we are excited to turn our attention to Fall 2025 programs, including the Nigun Song Circle, new Shabbat with Friends Gatherings, and a family program called Blessings on Your Head. 

On a personal note, I’m looking forward to being back home on Friday, October 3 and building my sukkah in time for the holiday. Sukkot has always been my favorite among the fall festivals. 

Wishing you Shabbat Shalom and Hag Same’ach—a joyous Sukkot celebration. 

Warmly, 

Rabbi Dov Gartenberg