Nitzavim-Vayelech

Today, we mourn the passing of Fanny Krasner Lebovits. Fanny was a survivor of five concentration and work camps, as well as the Libau ghetto. She was a longtime member of San Diego’s New Life Club for Holocaust Survivors and their families. Incredibly brave and loving, she shared her story countless times with thousands of children and adults to ensure that we never forget the lessons of the Holocaust. Fanny loved to sing, and she did so beautifully. In the days to come, there will be many tributes to Fanny that share details of her extraordinary life. Today, I hold a simple memory of sitting beside her, holding her hand, and singing together at one of our New Life Club gatherings. She was a remarkable and inspiring woman, and I was lucky to call her a friend.

 
Dear Friends,

In this week’s Torah portion, Nitzavim-Vayelach, we are coming to the end of our journey in the desert. Moses addresses the Israelites, emphasizing the importance of following God’s covenant. Throughout the parsha, the Israelites gather together, as God commands all to listen, calling to “your tribal heads, your elders, and your officials, every householder in Israel, your children, your wives, even the stranger within your camp, from woodchopper to waterdrawer.” And Moses relays to them God’s words: “I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live.” It is a powerful message to lead us into the Days of Awe, the Yamim Nora’im, beginning tomorrow with Selichot.

God required that all of the leaders of the Israelites, along with every individual, gather together, in community, to hear and honor that covenant. This is no different today. The flourishing of the Jewish people, choosing life, is a collective endeavor. When it comes to the most important aspects of Jewish life, we must bring the tribes together. And that work, that act of convening, is at the heart of Federation’s role in San Diego.

I found myself thinking a great deal about the collective nature of the Jewish community last week. On multiple occasions, for very different purposes, Federation convened our Jewish agencies and organizations large and small. Our second Jewish Security Institute launched with leaders from eight of our largest Jewish agencies. Our antisemitism roundtable gathered nine local organizations actively addressing antisemitism to ensure we are working together to fight this growing scourge. More than 30 lay leaders, clergy members and agency professionals spent a full day working in community to understand and combat antisemitism from the left with our national partner Project Shema. This week, our Teen Mental Health Resiliency Roundtable kicks off to provide resources to Jewish organizations, parents and teens, and we are on the verge of launching our Teen Wellness Coalition with seven organizations that have already signed on to affirm their commitment to teen wellness and hope to add more as this work progresses.These are just a few of the many ways in which we convene those serving the Jewish community to identify and address the most important issues facing Jewish life.

This role of convener is nuanced. We have a responsibility to care for those in need and connect and strengthen the Jewish community, and this role often places Federation behind the scenes building the capacity of and collaboration among our institutions, which in turn increases their impact in ensuring Jewish life thrives in San Diego. This function, I strongly believe, is vital to the health and well-being of our community.

Only in true partnership and with a shared sense of purpose and responsibility can we name, understand and tackle our most pressing challenges, and only together can we provide the range of opportunities for Jewish expression necessary for our diverse Jewish community to flourish.

As we enter into Selichot and 5784, we wish you a happy and sweet New Year. We thank you for being our partner in choosing life.

Heidi Gantwerk

Heidi Gantwerk
President & Chief Executive Officer