To our Friends in the Stephen Wise Temple and Schools community,
I pray that you are all coping with our new normal of being “Safer at Home,” hopefully both safe and healthy.
These are without a doubt very challenging and trying times for so many of us. In our family, we have our pregnant daughter and son-in-law living with us and we are trying our best to take time every evening to say what we are grateful for! Our son and future daughter-in-law, like so many others, had to postpone their wedding celebration. They are sheltered in place with just the two of them in San Francisco. So many of us have similar scenarios and we can all relate and empathize with each other’s situation.
Amidst the unsettling daily news reports, it’s imperative that we still find lots to be thankful for. I have never walked as much, cooked as much, or cleaned as much! I know I’m not alone. We have to smile and make the most of this time for reflection and a different kind of connection with all our loved ones, friends, and family. An opportunity to be creative!
There are many unsung heroes among us that I have to name and recognize for their magnificent efforts to keep our Wise community connected and spiritually uplifted each and every day! Please join me in saying a huge thank you to our dynamic clergy team, under the leadership of our Senior Rabbi, Yoshi Zweiback, who makes it all look so easy—but we know that an enormous amount of planning and effort goes on behind the scenes. Our rabbis and cantors are there for each and every one of us daily and I hope you are all engaging in the many opportunities to connect and engage with them. Our communications team, led by Jeremy Goldstein, does a magnificent job steering all our communication efforts and ensures that we are always delivering our mission. Raz Husany from our communications team has become an editor extraordinaire, turning our clergy’s beautiful words and music into an incredible virtual worship experience that makes all of us feel part of this wonderful community no matter where we are. Marc Entous and his IT and facilities teams are working around the clock to help our faculty adjust to distance learning and to keep our campus secure while we are closed to the public. Our Executive Director, Sharon Spira-Cushnir, provides excellent leadership in keeping our stellar staff teams calm, efficient, on task, and organized. Our Membership department, led by Lucy Harel, is working closely with our team of Wise Ambassadors to reach out to all our members. Jessica Lebovits Mannon, Director of Development, is making sure that we stay connected and provide essential assistance for those in need. Wise’s CFO, Kevin Schaffels, and his accounting team most certainly have their hands full as our nation (and world) face a very challenging and uncertain financial future. Tami Weiser and Jennifer Shankman have been astounding in leading our schools’ efforts to transition to a new way of distance learning—under their impressive guidance, our teachers and administrators are ensuring that our students are keeping pace with the curriculum in creative and inspiring ways. I have heard so much positive feedback from parents who are adjusting to not only working from home, but juggling having their kids home and helping to keep up with their studies. You too are all unsung heroes!
Sustaining our beloved institution is of the highest priority and our Board of Directors, in partnership with the professional staff, is working tirelessly to make this turbulent time as smooth and comforting as possible for all of us. We cannot say a big enough thank you to you all, our congregants, for your support and understanding.
As we approach Passover in a very different way this year, we still hold onto the age-old traditions of retelling our story from when once we were slaves in Egypt but took the lengthy and trying journey towards our promised land. The youngest member at our seder table has always asked the question: “Ma Nishtanah ha’laila hazeh? Why is this night different to all other nights?” This year we ask another question: “Ma Nishtanah ha’zman hazeh? Why is this time different to any other?”
We end the seder with the hopeful statement of “next year in Jerusalem!” This year, we all share the hope that next year will be a better year and that we will all be together—that our seder tables will once again be filled with loved ones. Belonging to this sacred community provides virtual hugs and encouragement, reminders that we have each other.
I am filled with immense appreciation for what Wise is doing to keep us all embraced. I am confident that a brighter future is ahead of us when we finally come out of this pandemic.
Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom, a Chag Sameach, and I hope to see you at one of our virtual Shabbat services or next week at our virtual Passover seders.
With love and best wishes,
Janine Kolodny
