Here are my personal reflections for why I have been so grateful over the years that Beth Am Israel is a unique and wonderful place. Thank you for all that you have done for the past number of months.
During these months we reinvented how we function, what we do. how we raise money, how to re-engage members and we succeeded.
Because of our collective efforts:
- Our membership remained stable, attracting new members, many more are connected. Each month I thank about 80- 100 people who enriched BAI, volunteered time, connected to others.
- Our Services have been meaningful, the high holiday Services were perhaps uniquely meaningful.
- Our Beit Midrash program was strong and we had good attendance in a nimble hybrid program.
- We met and exceeded all fundraising goals.
- We greatly expanded our social action/social justice work with our including one of the best, biggest MLK days of service and added spring day of service.
- We have had numerous adult learning opportunities and fun events especially Fiddler on the Zoom
Personally I want to thank each of you for giving me the opportunity to serve your president. I have enjoyed getting to know more of you and representing you to the community at large and to the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Many people have asked me how difficult it was to serve as president during the pandemic. My answer has always been that I work with such wonderful people who share the same mission and objective to be connected to each other and to support each other. This has been a most gratifying experience for me. Thanks to all congregants who read and even commented on my long letters. I received many gracious notes that I treasure.
Looking to the future
I know that BAI is in excellent hands with Jackie Needleman as the new president and with the incoming strong leadership of the executive committee and the board. Jackie has boundless energy, intellect, and dedication to everything she embraces. It is also nice to continue the tradition of strong yet not tall women as presidents from Marci, to Andrea, from myself to Jackie. May we all go from strength to strength.
We are planning and develop the Woodland (outdoor) Learning Center of BAI- WLC@BAI
Please join me in celebrating our 100th anniversary that we are calling l’Dor va’Dor: Our past leading us to our future. We plan to study our history within the context of the larger American Jewish community for the past 100 years, celebrate our past and present members in creative ways, commission a new Torah, establish our legacy through endowment development, and foster greater environmental sustainability. I see this as a create your own centennial celebration much like create your own adventure stories and that all of us can be involved and create our own way of celebrating our Centennial that honors l’Dor va’Dor: Our past leading us to our future. Please contact me if you have an idea or would like to be involved.
