Beth Emet’s New Executive Director Wants to Meet You!

While I’ve enjoyed the last 13 years working remotely and creating impact for national Jewish organizations, my professional career started just over 30 years ago, locally, at the Mayer Kaplan Jewish Community Center in Skokie. One of the aspects of the job I loved the most about that job at the time (pre-Internet) was being in-person with people and building community. So, you can imagine how excited I became when I learned of this opportunity to make an impact building community with you in person.

The virtual world is useful. But I really get jazzed with a huge smile on my face each day as I now get to return to work in person with a special staff, a special board, and a special community. I’ve had the privilege to attend several Kabbalat Mitzvot services at Beth Emet over the years and am still close friends with some current as well as former members. (Who knows, maybe I can help bring some of them back!)

As you get to know me, you’ll learn that I’m all about people and processes. I love people, heart and soul! I want to know who you are, I want to know about your family, where you’re from, what excites you, what worries you, what gives you joy, what’s making you sad, what you love about Beth Emet, and what more we can do to be the best Jewish community we can be.

AND I love processes. Kinda weird, I know. Most people either like people or processes, but not both. I take tremendous pride in creating, planning, and implementing processes that make a system go. I plan to collaborate and communicate with all of our stakeholders to do our absolute best in both the systems that make a congregation function at its highest capacity, while helping further create the beautiful and magical gift of a strong Jewish community. We can do both!

I spoke briefly at Kabbalat Shabbat Services this past Friday night and shared some thoughts that the Barchu prayer in the service acts like a gateway, shifting the congregation from personal meditation to a collective act of worship. The call and response, back-and-forth of the Barchu mirrors other transitions in Jewish life as a moment of readiness, attention, and intentionality. Just as the Barchu sets the tone for the rest of the service, I am hopeful, confident, and curious about this staff transition, and about what’s to come here at Beth Emet!

As I’ve begun my tenure as your new Executive Director, I think of this moment as a transition moment where I am ready, I am paying attention, and I am being intentional with my thoughts, words, and actions, as I settle into the role and the community. I am grateful and so full of appreciation as I honor and celebrate the tremendous 75-year history and legacy of past and current staff, board members, volunteers, synagogue members, and the broader Beth Emet community, as we now enter the gateway and transition into our collective, joyous, and meaningful future together.

A special shout-out of appreciation to Board President Nisan Chavkin, Rabbi Andrea London, and Cantor Natalie Young for your leadership in my hiring and onboarding process.

I look forward to meeting you all in the coming days, weeks, and months at one of the many excellent program offerings and services Beth Emet provides. If you have questions, comments, or are curious about the goings-on at Beth Emet, or want to share a story of something giving you pride about our Beth Emet community, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

See you soon!

Allan