Last Sunday evening Temple Shalom hosted a celebration perhaps tinged with a few tears. It was likely the last event to be held in the building that has been the Temple’s home for the last 65 years.

Like many houses of worship, it is a grand space with gorgeous wood, stained glass, and a soaring ceiling. But as Alan Rosmarin, who served as the evening’s Master of Ceremonies, noted:  It no longer works for them. It is too large and too costly and it is time for them to leave.

He continued. It’s not about the building but the people and community that pass through it. And to applause from those gathered Rosmarin stated the Temple’s committment to stay in Milton. They are seeking a new location and hope to build a new home here in town.

He then told a few jokes, though perhaps not few enough (you had to be there) and introduced a series of musical groups that were sensational. They included the MHS Cabaret Ensemble, Woman Song, Rebecca Hains and Thomas Dawkins, and the Boston Community Choir. In addition, the Sixteenth String, a string quartet from MHS, performed during the opening reception that featured a silent auction and refreshments.

At a time when the congregation was acknowledging the closing of this building their Temple’s name, Temple Shalom, seemed all the more significant and appropriate. Shalom is a rich word with multiple layers of meaning. Often used as a greeting and expression of wishing another well; it also signifies wholeness and peace. The word properly captured the spirit of the evening.