Colorado Springs and Beyond!
When I was stationed at the U.S. Air Force Academy here in 2001-2004, Clara and I came to love living next to the Rocky Mountains. I was therefore tickled pink to return for my first post-Air Force pulpit!
Don't pity us for the cold winters! The truth is that Colorado Springs enjoys some 350 days of sunshine per year. The dusting of snow on the ground that greeted me on the first weekend in February when I visited for my interview served as a reminder of why I loved living in Colorado!
Temple Beit Torah is a 'young' congregation. They just moved into their first 'real' building of their own - a converted Baptist church - about five years ago. They are a lively group, very open, welcoming and excited about their Judaism.
Temple Beit Torah is a lively place on Friday nights...
...as you can see here.
And of course, it's located in Colorado Springs! Here, a picture-postcard image of Pikes Peak, covered with snow and shrouded with clouds, brooding over the city.
I know, I know...this page is supposed to be for my 'at work' photos from Colorado Springs! But I couldn't resist posting this here. Despite my retirement from the Air Force, my military connection doesn't go away. Second from the left, standing is Lt Dan Flynn, one of my students. He's a Military Police officer stationed nearby at Ft. Carson, but he's deployed to Afghanistan right now (September 2010). He sent me this picture of him and some of his troops, playing goodwill ambassadors with some Afghan kids.
...and again, here I am retired from the Air Force but I can't seem to get away from involvement in the military! But in this case, I'm singing (the Craig Taubman song, 'Journey') at the retirement ceremony of my good friend Mark Ingles, whose picture you've seen elsewhere on my website!
Occasionally, I can twist Clara's arm to get her to sing with me!
Making 'Havdallah' at the temple in preparation for the Tu B'Shvat Seder.
I love doing weddings! Even when the groom towers a full head over me, as here with Tim and Lauren Chessmore.
I also love bar and bat mitzvahs. Here, that of Rebekah Farris.
Another picture from Rebekah's bat mitzvah.
Someone had a camera on hand at Saturday morning Torah study at Temple Beit Torah. We've had a very lively group this year (2010-11).
I'm no longer working with Temple Beit Torah but am taking some time off for other activities (2011). I returned to my rabbinic work for the holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when Clara and I travelled to Australia to support Temple Shalom of the Gold Coast (in Queensland). This is the front of their building...
...and here is their sanctuary...
...and their patio...
...and a restful spot in their garden.
This is something special, a 'Bibical Gardne' where they grow species of flora found named in the Torah. There arre a number of such gardens attached to congregations here and there, but Temple Shalom claims this is the only one in Australia.