When Cheryl Carne and Jane Hochstein each came to me several months ago to tell me they were retiring, I think I was initially in denial. Cheryl and Jane are both fixtures in the Dayton Jewish community. They had been working for the Federation for 19 years and 14 years, respectively. It was difficult to imagine not having them in the building.
Now here we are, several months later. Cheryl and Jane are both officially retired. We have two new staff members on our team –Senior Director of the JCC Marc Jacob and Development Director Lidia Zambilovici. We continue to march forward through this season of change.
Change can be difficult (especially in the era of COVID-19). Last day hugs and well wishes were done from afar. Intimate farewell lunches were no longer an option. We were forced to be creative and find other ways to come together, as a community, to thank both Cheryl and Jane for their years of service.
So, after some thought, I decided the best thing to do would be to find a venue where we could be outside, spread out, social distance, and celebrate Cheryl and Jane’s retirements. On Sunday, hugs and handshakes will be replaced with waving.
The truth is this has become our new normal. Events, programs – life – are no longer black or white. We are living in a gray time. Everything we do must be fluid. There are no firm plans, because at a moment’s notice, plans can change.
Even as we move forward with planning for future events, we must keep this in mind. Because the truth is we don’t know what lies ahead. However, we are committed to providing the best possible events and programs, whether that be in-person or virtual.
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