President's Column

Over the summer, our Board, along with our dedicated clergy and staff, gathered for a full-day retreat. This gathering allowed us to step back from our daily routines and engage in deep planning for the upcoming year. You might be wondering why I would be sharing this update now, several months later. Well, I wanted to not only share our plans, but also share our progress.

One of my most personal goals is creating a congregation that allows everyone to find a place where they fit, where their needs and interests are met, where we can all find ways to spend meaningful time with one another. We have so many — a veritable cornucopia — of groups in which to engage. So many, that we even launched a group to get a better handle on what’s available to our community. This is the work of the Beth Am Groups Group (BAGG) and they have been working for many months, clarifying our committee and group structures. 

We are now aligning these groups to our four pillars of congregational life, to be led by members of our Board, staff and clergy:

1. Worship and spiritual living — led by Cantor Shpall and Laura Whitman
2. Lifelong learning— led by Sarah Lauing Cohen, Ben Baum and Tina Rosenblum
3. Caring and welcoming community — led by Rabbi Watenmaker, Karmi Leiman and Deb Radin
4. Pursuit of tzedek (acts of justice and service) — led by Rabbi Nambi, Loren Ford and Amy Gerstein

If you would like to learn more about or participate in activities, programs, groups, or gatherings related to any of these four pillars, please check out the What We Do tab on our website. We have over 100 groups at Beth Am, led by our extraordinary community — all of you — and we want everyone to find the place you belong.

Begin by taking a virtual walking tour through dozens and dozens of groups dedicated to pursuing each of these areas of congregational focus. If you’re not sure how to connect with a group that interests you, or you’re not quite sure if your interests align with a group, or if you’re just feeling stumped, please email board@betham.org and we will get your inquiry to the right person.

president@betham.org