Cathy’s Whim Cathy’s Whim

It’s that time of year again, when Federations from all across North America and Israel gather together for the General Assembly (GA). This program cultivates inspiration, innovative ideas, and growth for both professionals and lay leaders.

This past week, I had the pleasure of meeting our new BBYO advisor, Sydney Feibus. In talking with Sydney, her zeal for the Jewish community and our youth was profound.

Last Friday, on Erev Rosh Hashanah, the world lost an icon ~ Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg z”l. Only the second woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, and the first Jewish woman to serve on the court, R.B.G, as she was known in pop culture, leaves behind an immense footprint and no-doubt historical legacy.

As we prepare to bring in the New Year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect. I don’t think any of us could have envisioned what this last year would entail. We have all been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in some way, shape, or form.

I do not think anyone could have predicted what our world would look like in 2020 ~ I certainly could not have imagined it. Between the COVID-19 pandemic, racial unrest, and political divisiveness, it can feel incredibly heavy navigating day-to-day life.

This Thursday, August 13th at 6pm, the Federation and its agencies will celebrate our community at our Virtual Annual Meeting. In addition to recognizing our award winners, the meeting also serves as a time of transition, where we thank outgoing board members who have so graciously dedicated their time and passion to Jewish Dayton, and welcome in new board members.

When you have a concern about the Jewish community or antisemitism, I am happy to hear from you. A community member recently contacted me because she was upset about what happened on Twitter. She wanted to know what we were doing to deal with this antisemitic concern of hers, and if other organizations were responding as well.

I think we can all say that 2020 has tested us in ways we never could have imagined. It’s strange to think how quickly our everyday lives have changed.

WHIM (What Inspires Me) is a post by Cathy Gardner, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton. Here, Cathy will discuss current events, important news stories and all things related to Jewish Federations and the Dayton Jewish community. Over the past week, I have seen multiple news reports about the murder of George Floyd, an African American man who lost his life at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. Three other officers stood by in silence as bystanders recorded Mr. Floyd’s final moments. In the video, you can hear the bystanders beg those officers to stop the other...