This letter is one of a series of monthly notes written to the KI community on congregational topics that pique my interest. Previous ones by me and my predecessor, David Williams, can be read here: President’s letters page. Please let me know what you think and/or what topics interest you by emailing me at president@congki.org.

“Schussing”

For those who don’t know me too well, I grew up skiing. In the world of ski accomodations nothing ranks higher than “Ski-in Ski-out,” the ability to seamlessly move from your home to the slopes and vice versa. Up until now, nothing has been comparable in the world of synagogues. Up until now…

2Life Communities (formerly known as Jewish Community Housing for the Elderly) is constructing 62 units of affordable, one- and two- bedroom apartments adjacent to the KI Sanctuary with a direct internal bridge between the two buildings. To the best of my knowledge it will be the first truly “Pray-in Pray-out” development in the country and will expand KI’s Campus vision of partnership in an exciting new direction. Interested for your grandparents, parents, or for yourself? Applications are now available and must be submitted by May 1st, 2020 by 5:00 PM to be entered in a lottery to be held on May 21st, 2020. Occupancy is expected to start this September. Don’t delay. “You have to be in it to win it!” Click here to learn more about the application process: 2Life Application Information. Let’s flood the zone with our KI community!

Speaking of zones, KI teens will be on a Purim offense as they take over KI in leading the festivities. They’ll be reading the Megillah, acting as marshals for the kids’ costume parade, handing out megillot and groggers, collecting tzedakah, etc…. Don’t miss the fun, drama and spectacle all coming to the KI Sanctuary, Monday March 9th.

And just a few days later, on Friday, March 13th, we’re especially excited to be welcoming Arnold Eisen, the Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary as KI’s Scholar-in-Residence. On Friday night, we’re celebrating with a joint community dinner with the KICKS Crew (who are marking their 10th anniversary that evening) and Congregation Mishkan Tefila. The KICKS Kabbalat Shabbat service will start at 6:15PM in the Chapel and the dinner will commence at 7:45PM in the Social Hall. Chancellor Eisen will speak following dinner on The Function of the American Jewish Community for America and the Wider World: Our Purpose. The Chancellor will follow up on Shabbat morning speaking about Our Promise with a text study post-kiddush. The dinner is being subsidized by a generous member of our community to encourage as many to attend as possible. Please click here to register for the event: Chancellor Eisen Shabbat Dinner or contact our main office as soon as possible. The registration deadline is March 12th at 12 noon.

Also on the calendar for March is KI’s 2020 Gala. We’ll be celebrating Rabbi Hamilton’s 25 years of leadership and vision with cocktails, music, delicious food, an auction, and live entertainment. Please join us on Saturday, March 28th at 8PM in what is sure to be a great evening. More information on tickets, sponsorships and advertisements can be found here: KI 2020 Gala.

L’Shalom,

Gordon Bennett
President, Congregation Kehillath Israel

Many of you were not able to attend KI’s annual meeting held on June 18th, 2019.  For my first monthly letter, I thought I’d write up the remarks that I delivered that evening. (I promise, future letters will not be quite as long!)

While the summer can be a slow time, everybody is always somewhere. That is also true with KI’s board, which will gather for a retreat on July 14th to reflect on the past year and plan for the year ahead. Stay tuned. Further, if you have your own thoughts and comments on KI programming and activities, please email me at president@congki.org or reach me by phone at (617) 731-9635.

Remarks delivered at KI’s Board Meeting on June 18th, 2019

I am deeply honored that the KI community has placed its trust in me to guide us forward for the next couple of years.

Following David Williams is difficult (especially when crossing streets)!

David set a new bar for the role of president — guiding us through an immensely complex KI Next project involving fund raising, construction, and coordinating with multiple partners while simultaneously holding us all together.

Kal Hakovod!

As many of you know, this was not a role I sought. As with most things, my wife Lucy knew before I did, that I was a marked man as Scott Plotkin (VP of Leadership and former KI President) secured her okay several weeks before he asked me. Scott is a wise man.

I’m not sure how many people know, but my first visit to KI on Shabbat was almost short-circuited. In the early fall of 2009, I came by at 8:45 in the morning at the advertised start time of services. Looking in, I saw no one, and thinking I must have gotten it wrong, went home and came back at 10:00. Cheers to KI’s greeters who now watch the doors from the time services start.

Once in, I could barely follow what was going on. To rewind, I grew up here in Brookline in a completely secular Jewish household. My interest in Judaism was rekindled in my mid 30’s and initially led Lucy and me to a Reform synagogue with minimal demands on Hebrew skills. The KI service was intimidating and alluring at the same time. Although I couldn’t read the Siddur, I enjoyed the music and appreciated the text-based sermon.

I began to come regularly, slowly becoming familiar with the melodies, feeling like a jazz player learning the Great American Songbook of standards. I learned tricks like focusing on the arrows in the texts where prayer leaders would come back in and one day suddenly realized that the Chatzi Kaddish was like a commercial break between services. With repeated attendance I also began to meet members.

In 2011, David Williams, who I knew through the Solomon Schechter Day School told me Rabbi Hamilton was holding an adult bar mitzvah class. For the two subsequent years David and I studied, finally having our Bnei Mitvah ceremony in the Spring of 2013.

By that time, my ties to the community had grown and I was asked and agreed to join the board as treasurer.

In summary, KI has been my spiritual home for over ten years now and I’ve been blessed to have met and worked with so many extraordinary people.

As I look out, KI faces opportunities and challenges.

I’ll highlight three issues in particular that I plan to focus on: one material, one intellectual, and one spiritual.

The first priority is financial. Although we had an incredibly successful fundraising drive that enabled us to complete this stunning and beautiful building, we still fell somewhat short of raising all the funds that were ultimately required. The good news is that our assets vastly exceed our debts and that our revenues, including pledged contributions, are healthy. The less good news is payments on our new mortgage constrain our current spending on programming and staff. This is clearly not ideal. I plan on working hard to raise additional funds. Toward that goal, David Williams has already secured $350k in new gifts this month with a goal of further significant fundraising by summer’s end. Lucy and I have personally stepped up with our own contribution, as have David and his wife Nyna Urovitch, Marc Plonskier and Heni Koenigsberg, Jason and Jennifer Skolnick, and Josh and Nora Friedman. I encourage everyone who is in a position to help, to join us in making personal contributions. In addition, this coming year is Rabbi Hamilton’s 25th anniversary. We plan to celebrate with a Gala around this important milestone and potentially launch a fundraising campaign. If successful in these endeavors, we should be in a strong position to pay down debt and create a dedicated sinking fund to cover the building’s depreciation through time.

The second issue is actually related to the first and involves the cultural and intellectual life of KI. If I had to associate a day of the week with KI, I would immediately say Shabbat. Yet in Beresheet we learn that Hashem took six days in creating the earth and each day was good. The amount of secular days to Shabbat is thus six to one. And my suspicion is that ratio roughly corresponds with the number of secular Jews to Shabbat goers. We are already doing a good job of this now, but I’d like to expand our Jewish cultural and intellectual programming with an initiative called “6+1.” The goal is to attract more of the members of our community who are thirsty for stimulating programming. This will also have the ancillary benefit of giving our regular Shabbat goers even more reasons and opportunities to enter our doors. I envision varied and attractive events filling our rooms and spaces every day of the week. We have wonderful new spaces to fill rather than sit empty and we have many people passing another unmemorable night at home rather than going out to experience something new. I hope the 6+1 campaign will marry these two needs, thus deepening ties within our community. And it is my expectation that just as we will get more Shabbat goers to come to KI on the first six days, we’ll also get people who come on the first six days to begin coming on Shabbat. And more people in KI will not only help fulfill our mission, but it should also help support our first call of improving financial performance.

The third issue refers to the spiritual, the plus one of the 6 +1. As we enter the new building, we are a different KI from when we left. We now have multiple partners with whom we share the campus including Congregation Mishkan Tefila, New England Yachad, Washington Square Minyan, Minyan Kol Rinah, Minyan Shaleym, and soon 2Life Communities. This diverse community enriches us collectively and I look forward to many exciting collaborations that will elevate us in ways we could not have achieved alone. And yet I also want to focus on the question of KI’s specific identity. There is an interesting theory called the Lindy Effect, which holds that the future life expectancy of something non-perishable is proportional to its current age. As KI is now over one hundred years old, this suggests that through sheer momentum, KI will exist for another 100 years. But, importantly, it also suggests that we are currently at our peak of growth, the midway point. The theory demands that we continue to push forward and grow, because each year we grow now extends our life by an additional year. To do this we need to understand and articulate what has made our community survive and prosper through the enormous economic and social changes that have occurred since its founding. I hope to work with the board and the community in focusing on what drew us and keeps us at KI. At its core, KI is, as its very name suggests, a community of Israel. A community of prayer – avodah, of social action – g’miloot chasadim, of Torah study, and of support for Israel. It is a community of diverse perspectives and ages united in common values that eschews pretension and flash and focuses on authenticity and learning. Let’s focus on strengthening and growing our spiritual community, as a strong KI will make for a stronger campus partner with others.

These three areas are only a starting point and should by no means be considered exhaustive.

To say I’m uneasy about taking on this role is an understatement. I am humbled by your trust and feel that I answer to the description used by Winston Churchill when he was speaking of Prime Minister Attlee, “[he] is a modest man who has a great deal to be modest about.” I ask for your patience, tolerance, and support. Together, let’s continue to grow, evolve, and enrich our KI home for ourselves, our community, and our posterity.

Gordon Bennett
Synagogue President

I will be completing my four-year tenure as President next month and stepping down from the board, so this letter is my second-to-last. I encourage you to join me for the KI annual meeting on June 18^th at 7:30 pm, when we will review progress from fiscal year 2019 and vote in a new board of trustees. I’m proud of the work we have done as a board to strengthen our governance and attract dedicated, capable people and am confident you will be impressed with the slate of candidates up for election and re-election. If you would like to be considered or to nominate someone, feel free to contact Scott Plotkin, VP Leadership leadership@congki.org.

Gordon Bennett has stepped up to run for President of KI, and I wholeheartedly support him as my successor. Gordon and I met several years ago as Solomon Schechter dads, and really got to know one another in the adult bnei mitzvah course we took together at KI. We joined the board together six years ago and he and I have worked closely since then in his role as Treasurer. Gordon has a particular interest in expanding KI’s cultural offerings. His financial acumen will be very helpful as well as KI navigates the next few years with a mortgage on the new building.

Speaking of culture, there are a number of exciting initiatives underway. REVIVAL, a Jewish spiritual folk rock group engaged us in the social hall at the end of Passover, bringing their themes of compassion, dignity, love and justice. In addition to the crowd in the room, we reached another 100 people on line with a live stream of the concert on Facebook. Thanks to Charlie Radin for organizing!

In May, we’ll feature two films in conjunction with the Jewish Film Festival and Congregation Mishkan Tefila. KI Member and Brandeis Professor Dalia Wassner will host a Q&A session after the screening of Leona on May 9 at the MFA. Contact lecker1@mac.comfor discounted tickets. And there will be a showing of Mortal Storm at the Coolidge Corner Theatre on May 7, with Q&A from Brandeis Professor Thomas Doherty. Contact mimdruk@verizon.net for discounted tickets to that one.

If you prefer reading to watching, you will enjoy the next session of KI Reads, a book group that will discuss My Father’s Paradise by Ariel Sabar on May 14 at 7:30 pm in the library, while enjoying refreshments. You can RSVP here.

Finally –after partnering for a great community seder with more than 60 participants– we are working with Center Makor to launch a Jewish Arts Initiative, which will use a wide variety of art forms (from painting to sculpture to dance to cooking) to unite and enrich our local Jewish community. In this video, Center Makor’s Arts Specialist, Polina Dorosinskaya and I talk about the vision and plans.

Thanks to Ted Folkman for organizing a downtown Lunch and Learn program at his office. Rabbi Bonney-Cohen led a session on our Library of Gratitude selection, Sage Advice while we enjoyed a kosher lunch. Stay tuned for the next session.

Our VP Membership, Shari Lecker has been stepping up our member recruitment efforts, with good effect. A number of new members have signed up and more people are expressing interest. If you know of prospective members please ask them to contact Shari lecker1@mac.com or visit the Belong at KI page on our website. We are hosting a wine and cheese reception for new members on May 30. There’s still time to sign up and receive an invitation!

We just finished celebrating the KI Centennial, and now it’s time for the 50^th anniversary of our preschool! On May 16 we’ll be hosting a celebration in the social hall. As the father of four alumni I am really looking forward to it. Meanwhile, registration is now open for our great summer school program as well as next year’s preschool.

Our fiscal year ends in June, and it would be great to end the year on a financial high note. If you are so inclined, there are a few ways you can help: Make a gift to the annual appeal to help cover operating costs, sponsor Kiddush in someone’s honor (or just because), or make a gift to KI Next to help us pay off our construction costs. Please contact mainoffice@congki.org or email me directly.

Have a great month!

David E. Williams, President

The first KI Gala in our beautiful new space was well worth the wait! Fabulous friends, food and festivities greeted the 200+ attendees. Everyone was in a great mood including the band, Amber Eyes, which fed off the energy of the room and really rose to the occasion. Honorees Marc Plonskier, Josh Friedman and Jason Skolnick thanked all involved for the success of the KI Next effort and looked ahead to a bright future. Thanks to our generous sponsors and bidders the gala was a financial success as well, contributing more than $50,000 toward KI’s annual budget. Check out the digital tribute book and celebratory video.

Our teen team, including coordinator Rayna Levinson, Rabbinic Intern Matt Goldberg, and Ramah Fellow Emily Farbman have laid out an impressive calendar of events for the spring. My youngest teen, Eli enjoyed the Captain Marvel movie matinee and my son, Seth had a great time at the 9^th and 10^th grade Mystery Shabbat dinner. Near-term highlights include Teen Kiddush & Cards on April 6, Good Deeds Day on April 7^th, Ramah Minyan Atid on the 13^th and the Mega Passover Dessert Seder on the 14^th. Contact Rayna teencoordinator@congki.org  to learn more.

Rayna Levinson, Teen Coordinator
The teens have plenty to do, but don’t worry, we have activities for adults as well! Please join us this Tuesday, April 2 at 5:30 pm when we partner with Congregation Mishkan Tefila and Gordon’s Fine Wines to offer a Passover wine tasting and sale.

There will be a great array of delicious beverages to sample and people to meet. If you can’t make it, you can still place an order using this form. Wine will be ready for pickup at KI or at member homes in Brookline and Newton on Sunday, April 14, in plenty of time for the Seders. Proceeds will be designated to benefit campus programming.

Rest up after Tuesday night’s event, because you will want to come back to KI on Wednesday for the third session of our emergency preparedness course taught by experts from the Brookline Police Department. This session will cover site access control (threat detection, how to engage visitors), radio communications, and bomb threat response. The final session, on April 8 will focus on the incident command system, fire safety and evacuation. The first two sessions were very well attended and received great reviews. Thanks to Jonathan Slutzman for organizing this course. Please contact him slutzman@alumni.princeton.edu to register for the remaining sessions.

I’m pleased to welcome our new Event Manager, Noa Vardy and Facility Manager, Ira Cohen to our professional team. Noa (who comes to Brookline via France and Israel) is tasked with space rentals, scheduling and ensuring that events go smoothly. Contact her at noa@congki.org if you’d like to plan an event or host a simcha. Ira is helping us get the most out of our new space and to optimize and maintain the various systems in the building, such as audio, video, lighting, heating/cooling, and elevators. Please say hi when you see Noa and Ira.

Finally, mark your calendars for this Sunday, April 7 from 1-5 pm, when we’ll hold a rummage sale in Epstein Hall before the building is redeveloped later this spring.

Have an outstanding Passover and a great month!

David E. Williams
President

Each month I write a letter to the congregation, providing members with my perspective on what is happening at KI and inviting feedback and discussion. Earlier editions are available on the President’s letters page. As always, please let me know what you think –and what you’d like me to write about—by emailing president@congki.org or calling (617) 731-3182.

I’m getting excited for the KI Gala on March 23, the first to be held in our beautiful new building. Come for the live music, cocktails, dinner, dessert, dancing and silent auction. We’ll celebrate just how far we’ve come as a community and honor the leaders who have made it possible. My wife, Nyna and I are co-sponsoring the Gala and I encourage you to do the same. This week is the time to purchase tickets, sponsorships and digital ads.

The hottest ticket at KI this winter has been Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen’s Shabbat Morning 101, a six-session series to unravel the structure, choreography and meaning of the prayers. Class began Saturday, February 9 with an overflow crowd of more than 40 people of all ages and backgrounds, and has continued with great success over the past month, with participants joining the rest of the congregation for Kiddush at the end of the hour-long session. Rabbi Bonney-Cohen has been posting a video recap of each class, so even if you’ve missed the first classes you can still catch up.

Register here to join: https://congki.shulcloud.com/form/Shabbat101
The final classes are this Saturday, March 8 at 11 am and Saturday March 15 at 10:30 am.

Why is the last Shabbat 101 session starting at 10:30 am you may wonder? Well, it’s so class participants can join in the sanctuary at 11:30 am with KI, Washington Square Minyan, Congregation Mishkan Tefila and Minyan Shaleym to hear a d’var Torah from the Inclusion Committee’s guest speaker, Daniel Jackson, MIT computer science professor and photographer. His subject is Portraits of Resilience, which will address what our tradition teaches us about mental health challenges,  the stigma that can often accompany these issues, and ways that our community can support one another. He will continue the discussion during Kiddush in the social hall.

When my kids (now aged 13 to 20) were little, we loved going to Cuddle Up Shabbat. KI continues to hold these events and to innovate on their format. A whopping 50+ people participated in the latest one, hosted at four different homes. Marissa and Jason Freed, parents of Lily and Aviva shared their experience.

“We’ve participated in various iterations of Cuddle Up Shabbat- hosted in the synagogue, hosted in someone’s home with many families, hosted at Rose Garden park– so we were very excited for the opportunity to host a few other KI families in our own home. It can be easy in a group setting with small children for the adults to mimic the ‘parallel play’ of toddlers, with each of us watching after our own children and then realizing, upon saying our final Shabbat Shalom’s, that we never actually got to know the other parents! This was an intimate enough experience that the adults had a chance to switch off playing with children so they could get to know each other. It’s so special to be able to show our children what it means to build community; to gather around holidays, participate in Jewish rituals, and spend time with one another. Of course, it’s super sweet to witness toddlers reciting Shabbat blessings! Thank you to Shirah for providing the resources- song sheets, Shabbat toys, thematic books, and all of the logistics to make it happen!”

Purim is coming, and of course we’ll have our festive megillah reading on the evening of March 20, followed by a party. I can’t wait to see your costume! To get ready, families will come together Sunday morning, March 17 to bake hamantaschen and deliver mishloach manot to Hebrew Senior Life. Register here.

Also on the 20^th, be on the lookout for KI volunteers delivering mishloach manot to your home! Better yet, contact Scott Plotkin leadership@congki.org to be one of those volunteers, delivering by car or on foot. We do it every year and it’s a great way to meet your fellow congregants and bring a smile to their faces!

If you don’t get enough to drink on Purim, don’t worry, there’s always Passover. This year we’re co-sponsoring a wine tasting event with Congregation Mishkan Tefila on April 2 from 5:30 to 8 pm. You can sample a variety of kosher wines from Gordon’s Liquors and order your favorites. Wines will be delivered to KI or you can opt for a home pickup in Brookline or Newton. Even if you can’t attend the tasting you can still place your order. (Link to the online form will be sent out separately.) Gordon’s will donate all profits to support campus programming!

Finally, we are excited to welcome Demetra Orfanos as a new office assistant. Demetra has extensive administrative experience in companies, churches and synagogues. Please say hi to Demetra when you stop by or call the office.

Have a great month!

David E. Williams
President