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The High Holidays offer a time for reflection as we look back on the past year taking full account of our actions and consider how we can continue to improve in the New Year. This year especially, as September marks my five-year anniversary as Federation CEO, I am contemplating the successes we have shared together as a community and dreaming of ways we can continue to grow.
We have an incredible team of volunteer leaders and professionals who make all of our achievements possible. Part of the beauty of Judaism is that it stresses the importance of both individual and collective responsibility. A thriving Jewish Houston requires both.
Writing on this topic, Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks stated, “Judaism is a religion of strong individuals and strong communities.” This, he said, “was very rare and difficult, and constituted one of our greatest achievements.”
We have leaned on both of these as we have faced the challenges of the past few years. The heaviness of recent Jewish history cannot be understated. Each time we are faced with adversity, the strength and resilience of our community shines through. And that is because we show up for each other.
When I took on this role, I didn’t know I would be leading through the most challenging time for our people in a generation. We all woke up after October 7th to a reality we didn’t anticipate. My strength during this time came from working closely with our volunteer leaders and Federation professional team. They inspire me with their fortitude and kindness. We’ve leaned on each other and lifted up the collective Houston Jewish community.
I am grateful to so many who have come forward with extraordinary generosity of time, talent, and treasure. It takes every one of us, contributing as we are able, to create the future we all want to see. Thank you to each of you for doing your part.
In 2026, for the first time, we surpassed $10 million in our Annual Campaign. Overall, Federation philanthropy has grown 30 percent in the past five years. And, Houston showed its incredible support for Israel after the tragedy of October 7th, by providing $20 million through our Israel Emergency Campaign.
Now, as we all prepare to gather with friends and family for Rosh Hashanah, I would like to share five key insights I have learned in the past five years to take us into the new year.
Listen Before Acting
Early on in my tenure, we launched the Hineni Houston listening effort, where more than 1,200 people shared their hopes and dreams for Jewish Houston. We did this because I wanted to create a strategy grounded in community voice. The direction of the Federation needs to be guided by this community because it all starts with you. You provided bold aspirations that we then took and researched and implemented. Out of that has grown our Jewish Education Inclusion Program to ensure access for all learners, our new website to open the front door to Jewish Houston, and expanded the Public Affairs program so our voices are heard at all levels of government. We’re not done, and we continue to seek your feedback. Our Jewish Life Survey was completed this summer and provides additional valuable insight as we steer our course.
Celebrate Individual Strengths
We have reached a point in time when we are seeing multiple generations gathered around our Board and Committee tables. We are lucky to learn from this intersection of viewpoints; each adds value. In the past five years, we have seen a resurgence in volunteerism as we create new pathways to leadership, reinvigorating what was always present—a deep love for this community. We have created programs like our Fed U leadership training for young adults, grown our cohort of the National Young Leadership Cabinet, and facilitated the President’s Circle for Board Chairs, cultivating leaders, giving them a place to learn, grow, and share ideas. We’re proud of the professional team we have fostered. We have attracted new talent and sustained long-standing professionals to better meet the needs expressed by our community. And we are supporting professional development for Jewish communal professionals through shared resources and learnings. With all of this, we are making the Federation and Jewish Houston a destination for everyone who has big ideas they want to ignite.
Foster Collective Dialogue
As I shared before, it’s not about the individual or the community – the synergy is in the convergence of the two. Building bridges across Jewish Houston with every segment of our community, and beyond, with the greater Houston community, is a critical piece of our mission. One of the superpowers of the Federation is as a convener. We have a unique ability to create meaningful space and participation for people of so many diverse perspectives – religiously, politically, and culturally. This shows up in our community as we bring together partners through efforts like our Antisemitism Roundtable and provide security and guidance through our Joan and Stanford z’l Alexander Family Jewish Community Security Program. It is also visible in our partnership with Texas Southern University enhancing Black and Jewish relations, at our annual Interfaith Community Seder reaching out to a plethora of religious and community leaders, and through outreach to government officials.
Unleash Jewish Joy
Certainly after October 7th, and maybe even before then as Covid was winding down, we saw something of a sea change. There is a real yearning for connection and a renewed sense of Jewish pride. People want to show up, loud and proud. To answer this, we have created new engagement opportunities in Women’s Philanthropy, our Minnette and Jerome Robinson Family Young Adult Division, and PJ Library. Our Local Impact Fund provides incubator grants for new and expanding programs – many in Houston’s suburbs – in the areas of engagement, inclusion, and education. Keeping joy alive during such trying times, especially in Israel, is no small feat. We have acted in solidarity, at the March for Israel in Washington, D.C., where more than 200 Houstonians stood strong with Jews from across the country, and during our multiple powerful trips to Israel where together we bore witness and brought hope. The profound joy I felt standing side by side with Houstonians and Israelis in Israel, showing our support and love – this memory stays with me every day.
Imagine Possibilities
Our story together is rooted in the wisdom of our ancestors, the tenacity of our current leaders, and the hopes we all hold for the generations that follow. I’m so excited for what comes next. My vision for Jewish Houston really isn’t my vision at all. It belongs to each of you. I commit to you that we at the Federation will do our best to build it. The future we want to create gives everyone access to Jewish experiences and education, where we have a cohesive community with mutual respect for all, and where everyone can live a proud and safe Jewish life. Thank you for your support these past five years. I look forward to working with each of you as we continue to build a kehillah kedoshah, a sacred community.
Shanah Tovah,
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