First Selectman Tetreau stated, “It is my great pleasure to issue a proclamation declaring that September 27th will be a very special day in the Town. For the first time, we have designated a day that will officially mark the cultural and religious diversity of our Town and the respect and tolerance that are the hallmarks of our community.”
First Selectman continued, “I call upon clergy, elected officials and citizens of Fairfield to come together at Congregation Beth El in celebration of this Day. Together, we will remember that our nation and our state celebrate people of different backgrounds and beliefs, many of whom have come here seeking safe haven and the freedom to practice their faith without fear.”
Rabbi Marcelo Kormis of Congregation Beth El stated, “Given the distressing situation that occurred last spring when anti-Semitic slurs were made during a high school lacrosse game, I think it is of the utmost importance to highlight the wonderful response of the community: the coming together of diverse religious leaders to publicly condemn the incident and make a renewed pledge that the community will not tolerate such hateful speech and behavior.”
For the 44th year, Congregation Beth El will open its doors to the community at large. Churches of all denominations, shapes and sizes, will be invited to the annual Sukkot Interfaith Luncheon. It will be a gathering in commemoration of the Jewish holiday Sukkot, the autumn harvest festival, with elected officials, community leaders and the public joining together in appreciation of the strong bonds that hold together the Town of Fairfield.
The keynote address at the luncheon will be given by Deborah Levison, author of the award-winning book, THE CRATE: A Story of War, a Murder, and Justice. Her discussion will touch on the Holocaust, a particularly apropos theme for the day as it illustrates the horror of what can happen in a society if hatred goes unchecked. Levison is a child of survivors.
Congregation Beth El is located at 1200 Fairfield Woods Road in Fairfield. Its Sukkot Interfaith Luncheon will be held on Thursday, September 27 at 12:00 noon with hors d’oeuvres beginning at 11:15 a.m. First Selectman Tetreau will read the Proclamation in its entirety at the luncheon and proceeds will go to Operation Hope in Fairfield.
For more information on the Sukkot Luncheon and to RSVP, please contact Congregation Beth El at 203-374-5544 or email Amy Sheinberg at sheinbergs@aol.com.
For more information on the Proclamation, please contact the Fairfield First Selectman’s Office at 203-256-3095.