Shalom Chaverim,
I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends and took some time to think about all the things you have to be thankful for. I did some of that and came up with the common answers like good health, freedom, and my family and friends, but I also realized I was thankful for Kol Ami. Not only has it been my spiritual home, but it is where I have met people who I have much in common with, and many friendships were started here. There are so many things that it offers in terms of social and educational activities, spiritual fulfillment, and just convening—it IS the place to be.
Speaking of which, our annual Gala Fundraiser is this Saturday night, and it promises to be a good time with a cruise theme, good food, a DJ and dancing, a live and a silent auction, a game show, and much more! Most of all it is a good opportunity to be together with your friends and Kol Ami family, and a chance to meet new friends. I thank all of you who have purchased tickets to attend and everyone who has donated to be a sponsor. Not only is it a fun time, but it is second only to dues as a budgeted source of yearly income. Please sponsor and attend; it is not too late to sign up.
I would like to announce to all of you that the Board of Trustees has elected to continue our relationship with Mitch Weiss, our Executive Director, for two more years beginning July 1, 2023. Mitch has been our E.D. for the past eight years and has been of great service to our Kehilla. We look forward to more success and growth for Kol Ami with Mitch in his position.
Our Nominating Committee has continued to search for new Trustees and an Executive Committee for the Shul and is making good progress. I am looking ahead to a line of succession to the presidency of our congregation. The Recharge Committee, headed by Steve Freedman and Carolyn Fink, is making headway on our first three goals of membership retainment, welcoming interfaith families, and attracting young people and families to Congregation Kol Ami. The week of Chanukah will be filled with many different activities including the nightly Chanukiah lighting in the parking lot. Things are beginning to buzz at Kol Ami!
Getting back to my original thought, I am most thankful for my understanding wife, Ethel. She is, as many of you are aware, an excellent cook and caterer, B’nai Mitzvah tutor, and Jewish educator, but she is much more than those. She has stood with me during this presidency, supporting many of my ideas, telling me when my ideas are not so good, helping me to stay positive, and being a sounding board for some of the dilemmas I have faced during this period. Without her, this term would have been much less invigorating than it has been. Thank you, Ethel.
I look forward to seeing you at the Gala on December 10th, when we will be
Byachad,
Kalman
