Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation

Message from the President

I am honored to serve as President of Beth Chaverim Reform Congregation.

Let me extend a warm “welcome” to those visiting our website for the first time, and “welcome back” to everyone else.

In our community you will find, as I have:

• a place to learn (for our children and ourselves);
• a place to schmooze;
• a place to share life’s joys and sorrows with friends who care;
• a place to enjoy shared culture and tradition, and an occasional nosh;
• a place to connect with God, however one conceives of God;
• a place to connect with the shared past of the Jewish people; and
• a place to connect with – and shape – our people’s shared future.

Our synagogue exists as a cultural, spiritual, and educational home for Reform Judaism in Loudoun County and parts nearby. We are home to a diverse mix of families (and individuals), united in our diversity by the respect and ruach (spirit) we hold for each other and for our “House of Friends.” To paraphrase Will Rogers, “A friend is a stranger [we] haven’t met.”

We are a community of volunteers. For centuries, our forebears were never allowed to forget their Jewish identity – and, often, paid the ultimate price for it. Here in America in 2011, we can choose to express our Jewish identity regularly, or twice a year, or not at all. Our members have chosen to build a home for Reform Judaism here in Loudoun County.

Our challenge is to see this task through. None of us can do it alone. But together – and with the help of new members whom we will welcome in the months and years ahead – there is nothing we cannot accomplish.

It is my privilege, as president, to serve with a talented and dedicated Board of Directors, together with Rabbi Joseph, supported by an active and interested congregation, dedicated to ensuring that our synagogue meets the needs of its membership and the larger Jewish community while remaining true to our core values of openness, inclusion, and a welcoming spirit.

Mark Raffman
President

President's Kol Nidre Appeal 5770