On Wednesday morning, several of my colleagues and I had the true honor to attend the Brit Milah (Bris) of a coworker's son.  It was beautiful witnessing the generations of this family coming together.  At that very moment when the blade did its work, this boy became a Jew. 

 

Many are Jewish by birth or by bris, but the question is will they be Jewish in their brains.  As all our Jewish institutions, including the Federation, think about their programs and activities, we all must think about how we make the experiences of our members and participants to be positive and inspiring.  Every single staff person and every single volunteer at every single Jewish organization has a part in making everyone in our community feel welcomed and embraced.  Our boys will not, luckily, remember their own bris, but they will remember how they feel as part of a great Jewish community. 

 

Shabbat Shalom. 

 

P.S.  I want to encourage all of you to attend next Saturday evening's “Conversations for a Jewish Future” Speakers series event featuring Rabbi JJ Schacter.  Having studied with Rabbi Schacter in the past, I can assure you that you are in for a very special treat.  Instead of dinner and a movie on a Saturday night, have dinner and a conversation.  For more information, please click here.