The BCRC Blog

Shanah Tovah, everyone.

It is an honor to stand before you today, at the start of this new year, as your President. Yom Kippur is a time of reflection and renewal. It reminds us that each year is a gift—an opportunity to recommit ourselves to our values, to one another, and to the sacred work of sustaining our Jewish community. And the truth is, we can only accomplish that sacred work when we do it together.

Rabbi mentioned in her sermon yesterday evening that Our tradition teaches we are all responsible for one another—Kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh. That is not only a beautiful idea; it is a call to action. It means showing up for each other in times of joy and in times of challenge. It means practicing kindness, doing good, and drawing strength from one another to make a greater impact than any of us could alone.

One powerful way we can live this out right now is through our High Holidays Food Drive for Loudoun Hunger Relief, led by Noah Scheff as his B’nai Mitzvah project. This effort ensures that families in our wider community have nourishment and dignity in the year ahead. When each of us contributes, together we create an impact far beyond what one person could accomplish.

And the food drive is just one example. This past year has shown us again and again how much more we achieve when we come together as a community. Just look at our beautiful Jerusalem wall and bimah—our next phase, with a new ark and furniture, will unfold this spring. Our sanctuary is an achievement we can all see and be proud of. But there have also been smaller successes that, woven together, have made us stronger: we’ve created new learning opportunities, offered support for those in need,  celebrated meaningful worship experiences, participated in social justice initiatives, and strengthened our bonds through events led by our Brotherhood and Women of BCRC. We’ve also celebrated numerous simchahs—from births to b’nai mitzvah—and each joy has been greater because we’ve shared it as a community.

You may recall Past President David Waldman’s appeal from last year: to honor simchahs of your fellow congregants by making small donations. Many of you answered that call and it warmed me to read those recognitions in the blast.  Each individual act of generosity added up to something bigger—together, you multiplied joy across our congregation. That is the power of community in action and I urge you to continue to answer David’s appeal.

As we look ahead, the same truth holds: the sweetest parts of our congregational life come when we create them together. Oneg Shabbat is a perfect example. After Friday night services, friendships grow, newcomers feel at home, and good food and good conversation remind us how sweet it is to belong here. To keep Oneg warm and welcoming, we need your help—whether by sponsoring, coordinating, or simply pitching in with a smile. Small acts, joined together, create the atmosphere that defines BCRC.

And of course, our larger work continues. There are more lives to touch, our sanctuary renewal to complete, and more ways to bring Jewish values into the world around us. None of this can happen through one person alone—it takes all of us.

Sustaining our community also requires resources. It takes more than just good intentions - we need your presence, your participation, and yes, your financial support. Membership dues, High Holiday giving, simchah donations, and gifts of every size are what keep our doors open, our programs thriving, and our future secure. Your generosity makes possible everything we cherish here—from educating our children, to offering services that inspire, to providing comfort and healing when it is most needed.

When you give, you are not just supporting a synagogue—you are investing in a vibrant Jewish future, in a place where your children and grandchildren can belong, in a community that is here for you in times of joy and in times of challenge.

As we begin 5786, let us recommit ourselves: to kindness, to generosity, to lifting one another up, and to making a difference together. Please join me in making this a year where, together, we accomplish more than any of us could possibly manage alone.

May this year be one of blessing, health, and peace—for our families, our community, and the world.

Shana Tovah