President's Message: A Beginning

Photo by Susan Coren

I am honored to serve as Olam Tikvah’s President. I would like to provide a few personal introductory details and explain some of what, at this juncture, I hope OT can strive to achieve.

We have been members of OT since the late 1970s. I served as Ritual Co-chair with George Billinson before coming on the OT Board as an officer. My wife, Karen, and I live in Annandale, a stone’s throw from the Taubmans, Warrens, Corens and Nisenoffs. During our 31 years of marriage, we have raised two sons—Josh, who is currently teaching eighth-grade English in a Title I (economically and socially disadvantaged) school, and Ben, who returns to college in the fall for his final year and then on to a career in civil engineering. Professionally, Karen has been advising clients on financial matters for over a decade. For most of the last 20 years of my professional life, I have worked on the legal and business issues of software companies, but I consider most of my professional efforts directed simply at identifying and solving problems. Over the years of OT membership, I have also served as a Shomer for our dead awaiting burial. At Saturday morning services, I sit in the last row of the sanctuary, with Deedy, Gideon, Howard, Michael and anyone else who wants to join us. Contrary to popular myth, we talk a little and daven a lot.

I have two simple objectives that I plan to keep in mind in my two years as President—how to enhance OT membership and how to enhance your membership at OT.

Through the Rabbis, the office support professionals, the OT Committees, Sisterhood, Men’s Club and other organizations (such as ABBA), OT Youth Groups and the Religious School, I hope programming at OT will continue to grow in breadth and depth. We have tended to be content-rich, so I am not overly concerned with that aspect. And recently the volume of our offerings—especially in adult education—has blossomed. I think the mix and intended audiences are more the questions: are our offerings responsive and challenging enough for as much of the whole OT community as is practical?

I believe we are a “big tent” congregation (i.e., we try to be inclusive), by and large. But on the other hand, we certainly follow our healthy share of traditions and Halacha. So our challenge is to be as friendly, warm and welcoming a congregation as we can, while still being faithful to striving to live an authentic Jewish life. It is an interesting tension, and I think we have maintained it increasingly well; with your help I am confident we can enhance our warmth and openness without sacrificing our need to observe what we hold sacred and dear.

Anyone remotely tied into OT knows that we are on the verge of a major project to further beautify our physical plant. I will not discuss that project at this time. Although it will consume much of our time and attention, it is not what OT is all about. I intend to remind and try to guide activity so that the project is as much a “side event,” and not the main event, as one can reasonably achieve. I cannot claim ownership of this idea: long before I enunciated it, Rabbi Kalender expressed it clearly and repeatedly. The dust will fly from time to time; I hope we can be upwind to it much of the time. In any event, OT is fundamentally about people, not bricks and mortar.

As to my second objective—enhancing your membership—I cannot do so without your help. Jews generally love to talk; I tend to like to listen. Let’s communicate whenever you wish to do so. I am particularly receptive to constructive input. You will be able to reach me by e-mail at president@olamtikvah.org. I spend a lot of time at OT; you now have my picture. Let’s meet up and talk. I cannot promise you that I can or will agree with all you might propose, and there may be times when I may need to ask you to help me come to the essence of your concerns. But I did not take this job for the big, posh office. My family has been enriched in many ways by Olam Tikvah. I intend to try to give back in some measure.

With your help, we will succeed. With your help we will move from strength to strength.

B’Shalom,

Ed

(from the July 2008 Contemporary)