President’s Corner

from Sept/Oct/Nov Bulletin 2021

All in the Beth El Family

By Stuart Hochwert, NSS Beth El President

On behalf of the Board of Directors and everyone at North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, I want to begin by wishing you a happy and healthy New Year. I hope this letter finds you and your families in good health and that you are finding your connection to Judaism and to our congregation a source of comfort during these challenging times. The High Holidays are a time for both celebration and introspection, a combination I find especially significant as I reflect on some of our milestones and blessings. I can hardly believe it has been one year since last Rosh Hashanah when we held services via Livestream. And as I write this in the early summer, it is exciting that we plan to worship in-person and continue to offer Livestream. We are fortunate to have clergy, staff and lay leaders who care so much about our synagogue, its members, and the community to which we belong. We have so many activities every day of the week at Beth El. Closing the building and reopening carefully never stopped us from gathering, worshiping, learning, and having fun together. Just like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney, we offer non-stop comedy, drama, mystery and more in-person, on your phone, computer, and tablet. This past year we embarked on a strategic plan to guide the synagogue for the next three to five years. We talked with a cross section of people who provided input and comments. And we surveyed our entire membership. We are in the final stage of review and prioritizing goals, and we have already begun to implement some parts of the action plan. You will hear more about our plans this Fall. Let me remind everyone that finances are never a barrier at NSS Beth El. Due to generous donors, we can accommodate everyone without regard to their financial status. Simply put, if you cannot afford full dues please reach out confidentially to our Executive Director, Jeff Baden. We value you for your presence and what you bring to the community. Finally, we could always use more of your time, skills, and enthusiasm. If you are already one of our Volunteer Heroes, thank you for your time and energy. If you have been sitting on the sidelines, we have many ways to get involved, both big and small. I invite you reach out to me and learn how you can help make a difference in our community this year. Let us ‘do good’ and build the future of Beth El together.