CBE Exec Director: One Community, Many Voices

This article first appeared in our Aug/Sept '26 edition of The Bulletin

We are strengthened by gathering in community and by sharing our voices - and our hearts - with one another.

We are already well underway with our planning for the High Holy Days. There is something energizing about this season as staff, clergy, lay leaders, volunteers, and congregants all come together to prepare for the moments that will inspire, comfort, and connect us.

Our theme this year - One Community, Many Voices: Building Our Future Through Sacred Conversation - feels especially meaningful to me.

This time last year, I arrived at Congregation Beth Emeth as a candidate for the Executive Director position. I had the privilege of joining the Sobol family as their guest for services. It was my first opportunity to meet many of you, and I still remember the beauty of the music, the grandeur of the sanctuary, the poignancy of the readings, and, perhaps most of all, the warmth of the welcome I received. It was immediately apparent that this was a special kind of community - one I hoped would become my own.

A year later, I have the privilege of experiencing this meaningful season not as a visitor, but as a member of the Beth Emeth family. Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to learn our traditions, celebrate joyful moments, support one another through challenges, and witness the generosity, kindness, and commitment that make this congregation such a vibrant place.

I’ve also come to appreciate that what makes Beth Emeth so special is that no two people experience it in exactly the same way. We each bring our own stories, perspectives, questions, and hopes. When we truly listen to one another - with curiosity, respect, and compassion - we strengthen not only our relationships but also our community. That is the promise of sacred conversation, and it is how we continue building the future of this place together.

The High Holy Days invite us to reflect on where we’ve been, express gratitude for our blessings, seek forgiveness, and embrace the possibilities of a new year. They remind us that we are not meant to do this work alone. We are strengthened by gathering in community and by sharing our voices - and our hearts - with one another.

Whether you’ll be returning to your generational home or joining us for the very first time, I look forward to welcoming you, just as so many of you welcomed me last year.

On behalf of our entire staff, I wish you and your loved ones a sweet, healthy, peaceful, and meaningful New Year.

Jill Rafferty-Weinisch, Executive Director