36 | SEPTEMBER 26 • 2019
Rosh Hashanah
H
ineni. I am here.
These words take on
special significance
during Rosh Hashanah and the
Days of Awe, a time set aside
to contemplate the meaning
and purpose of
our lives and to
reflect on the
ways we’
ve lived
and the actions
we’
ve taken.
As we read
in the Torah,
Hineni is the
response given
by Abraham
when called by
God, signifying
his absolute
devotion and
willingness to
be of service, his
readiness to be
transformed.
Hineni
is central to
the mission
of the Jewish
Federation. Our
values are built
upon a founda-
tion of commit-
ment, responsi-
bility and active participation.
When we stand with our fellow
Jews in community, when we
support those in need and
when we give, we are declaring
we’
re here for each other and
our community.
Reflecting on our year as
a community, we recognize
moments of achievement and
challenge, of inspiring progress
in our efforts to strengthen and
support the community, and of
daunting crises that threatened
the lives and well-being of Jews
locally and across the world.
This is a time when the
scourge of anti-Semitism has
grown, when threats to Jewish
communities everywhere have
become commonplace. With
heavy hearts, we remember
the tragedies of the Tree of
Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh
and the Chabad of Poway
Synagogue in San Diego. We
remember and take action:
Thanks to the strength of our
Annual Campaign, we’
ve been
able to significantly bolster our
local security efforts to ensure
the safety of the community.
We also remember a year in
which Jewish Detroit continued
to rise. We have seen more
individuals embracing their
Jewish identity and taking part
in Jewish life, particularly our
young adults, who are finding
a reason to stay in Detroit. Our
recent population study reports
a stable community after many
years of decline. Our syna-
gogues, camps and JCC remain
centers of inclusive Jeiwsh life.
We have developed better ways
to ensure our most vulnerable
populations — seniors, families
in need and individuals with
disabilities — live healthy and
fulfilling lives.
We have taken on the crisis
in youth mental health with a
campaign of awareness, advoca-
cy and support. And, with the
commitment of over 11,000
donors, Federation’
s fundraising
efforts continue to grow, allow-
ing us to provide more support
to our agencies and schools.
Hineni. We are here. We
are here for today, for those
needing help as well as those
searching for connection.
We’
re here for tomorrow,
too, and we strive to ensure a
bright and vibrant future for
our children. With the support
of our extraordinary communi-
ty, we are “here for good.”
May you have a meaningful
holiday and a healthy, peaceful
and joyful new year.
Beverly B. Liss is president and Scott
Kaufman is CEO of Federation. Alan
Jay Kaufman is president of the United
Jewish Foundation.
essay
Holiday Greetings from Federation
Beverly Liss
Scott Kaufman
Alan Jay
Kaufman