So Eat Already! Passover Edition: pages 3

Your Outgoing Board President Eloise Paul

As spring approaches and my term as your president nears completion, I’ve been reflecting on all we’ve been through together in the last, almost, two years. It has been a tremendous honor to serve as your president and I have tried my best to live up to your expectations. It has been quite a ride and not at all what I expected, and yet we have accomplished much and have moved forward in the face of ongoing unexpected obstacles. We would not be in the position we are today without the help and support of all of you---our congregants, our board, our clergy, and our staff. Back in the summer of 2019 (ages ago, right?) I began planning what I’d like to accomplish. Some of these things we HAVE completed:

A new strategic plan has been created based on hearing your thoughts in a 20+ hour listening campaign. It is posted on our website and progress reviewed at board meetings.

An updated commitment policy, again, based on your feedback.

An ethics policy has been in the works for months now. My hope is that we present it at the annual meeting for approval. And then, there were ever so many things that were NOT part of my plans...

Pandemic-related

We closed our ECC which, luckily, is now reopened, and we are starting the build-back process to pre-pandemic levels.

We started a weekly Cash Flow Group (and I do mean weekly) to guide our financial decisions

We moved EVERYTHING to Zoom for a time, including our High Holy Day services.

We started a Back to the Building Task Force with volunteers to guide us in implementing proper safety procedures.

We received a Safety and Security Grant to improve safety in our building.

People

Through two all-Zoom searches, we hired an amazing, and responsive Executive Director, Pete Smithhisler. This lifted about 1,000 pounds off my shoulders, and I hope has improved your interactions with our congregation as well. We also hired our new, energetic ECC Director, Jodi Kaseff. She has many creative ideas and is working to implement them and hire more teachers.

Technology

We are all Zoom pros!

We installed livestream cameras to improve the quality of online offerings.

We updated our phone system.

We updated our CRM system to ShulCloud, with an online directory and tools to enhance communications and finances—Please use it!

And of course, all the “UNEXPECTED” ISSUES that seemed to “pop up” weekly—all I can say to each one is DAYENU!

Had we only gotten a new roof for our entire building, dayenu.

Had we received not one, but two PPP Loans, dayenu.

Had we only had to replace the sewer line pipes and water heater, dayenu.

Had we only gotten the southside cemetery gates repaired, dayenu.

Had we only had repair work done on our precious Torahs, dayenu.

Had we only updated our entire HVAC system, dayenu.

Had we only replaced our boiler, dayenu.

Had we only updated the locks on all our classroom doors, dayenu. It has been quite a ride and I could never have gotten through it without all of you. You gave tirelessly to IHC and supported me as we faced each new set of circumstances. The financial gifts so many of you made allowed us to keep moving forward through dark times. My gratitude is beyond words. To my IHC Board of Directors, thank you for the endless unplanned meetings to deal with each new issue as they arose and for giving me wise counsel; To our clergy, thank you for staying strong and innovating as we faced unknown waters; To our staff, thank you for calmly (mostly) dealing with each new issue and finding solutions. And to all our congregants, our stakeholders, thank you for giving me this very meaningful opportunity. Thank you for joining and supporting me and our congregation on my two-year voyage, steering the ship as your president. To my successor, I can only say—expect the unexpected, but relish the strength of our community!

Your Senior Rabbi Brett Krichiver

Our Torah speaks of time in a peculiar way. While the cycle of the moon and the sun dictate the passing weeks and months, the Torah speaks to years based solely on “toldot” or the generations of people whose lives fill those years. “And these are the generations of Isaac, the son of Abraham, Abraham being father to Isaac. ” (Gen 25:19). This passage fills in the gap between the story of the death of Abraham and Sarah and the story of Jacob and Esau fighting in their mother’s womb. This is the way the Torah tells us “time has passed. " This Jewish concept of looking at the span of time through the generations of our families has persisted. We learn about our past so that we might build our future. We are commanded to teach our children and to continue to learn for our entire lives. This is also why we dedicate so much of our time to working with future congregational leaders. Our committees, Circles, and groups are busy, every day, strengthening the bonds of our community; creating opportunities for us to teach and to learn; to socialize and to pursue social justice together; working in sacred partnership with our talented staff to fulfill every part of our mission. IHC has always been a proud lay-led congregation. We honor the hard work and significant legacy of our outgoing temple president Eloise Paul. As is often the case, Eloise had no idea what she was getting into when she volunteered and was voted in, especially during COVID-19. But Eloise, leading our board and guiding our many committees, has worked so very hard, for the past two years, to ensure the future (and the present) of our congregation. Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (z”l) taught that we should each see our lives as a page, right in the center of the book of our families. The pages before ours contain our past. The pages ahead have yet to be written. Eloise, you have added a beautiful page in the ongoing story of our community, and we thank you so very much. Mazel Tov!

Your Executive Director Pete Smithhisler

We often step into our leadership roles with great expectations about what we think the experience will entail. Usually the picture is full of sunshine and rainbows, great change, and lasting legacy. When we take a moment to reflect, we see that path we walked was full of challenges, left turns, unexpected needs, and opportunities to stretch our skills and abilities.

So often in my conversations with IHC President Eloise Paul, she reflects that her presidency is not anything she expected. For the two years that she’s been president, she’s faced issues, crises, challenges, and needs far greater than she envisioned, and she’s stepped forward into those challenges with courage, grace, and positivity. And she has succeeded each time.

Here are the things that I’ve learned from Eloise in the past year:

Always believe there is a path forward, and we will get through this challenge.

Use your resources and support network fully.

People first.

Communicate, communicate, communicate.

And do so in your own voice. In your own time.

Listen. And listen again.

Never lose your sense of humor. Never lose your sense of purpose. Never doubt your own abilities.

When faced with a challenge, engage those with skills, knowledge, and experience to help you build a plan of action.

Move with speed and purpose when needed.

Be measured and deliberate sometimes.

Acknowledge limitations, but don’t let your vision get clouded.

Always keep family first. I admire many of Eloise’s leadership traits. Perhaps it is her tenacity and faith that stand out most for me. The phrase “Right place; right time” seems to be an accurate description of Eloise’s leadership journey. Eloise has been the leader that IHC needed these past two years. Her commitment to IHC has never wavered. I have witnessed her love of IHC and its congregants through her actions. I have treasured the opportunity to work alongside her, learn from her, and become her friend. Thank you, Eloise Paul...For all you have done to ensure the future of IHC.