Articles

Needing One Another: A Message from the President
May 6th 2021

As we prepare for our second Shavuot online, I'm reminded again what a busy year it's been, and of all the incredible ways that our community has come together during this difficult time.

We could have spent the last year taking things slowly; adjusting to "online shul", cutting back on programs and community involvement and just hoping that members would stick around for whenever the crisis passed. 

But that's not how we do things at Beth Tzedec. Instead, we threw ourselves into identifying and meeting the most pressing needs emerging in our community.

When our members needed comfort, we launched support groups, offered healing services and stepped up outreach from our Spiritual Leadership Team.

When our members needed community, we made check-in calls, launched Small Groups and came together for a weekly l'chaim to kick off Shabbat as a community.

When our members needed things to do, we offered new learning opportunities, found ways to bring our most popular events to life on Zoom and provided engaging programs for all ages.

When our members needed nourishment, we delivered hallah, provided food vouchers and raised nearly $30,000 for our new Food Insecurity Fund.

When our community needs us, Beth Tzedec is right here, inspiring and enabling each of us to live meaningful Jewish lives.

When you receive your membership statement next month, I hope that you remember the things that you've needed over the last year, how Beth Tzedec has helped meet those needs and how you can help us meet the needs of other members of our community. Members with the capacity to do so will be encouraged to make a contribution to the Membership Relief Fund, to help support those who have not been as fortunate.

I am so grateful to have had a front-row seat during this long and difficult year, as we've watched our community come together. From our spiritual leaders, who offered comfort and support, to our member volunteers, who stepped up to help lead programs and fundraisers, to our staff members who worked tirelessly around the clock to make sure we could stay connected as a kehillah. Thank you.

This has been a difficult year, but a remarkable one. I look forward to sharing another remarkable year with you.

Debbie Rothstein
President