CBE President: Not Just Attending, But Belonging

This article first appeared in our October '26 edition of The Bulletin

There is a difference between attending and belonging.

We attend a service. We attend a program. We attend a meeting or a class. We come through the doors, find a seat, participate, and then head home. But belonging is something more. Belonging is the feeling that when we walk through the doors of Congregation Beth Emeth, we know that this is our community and that there is a place for us here.

In Pirkei Avot, we are taught, “Do not separate yourself from the community.” These words, written centuries ago, still speak to us today. Judaism has always understood that we are strengthened by being part of something larger than ourselves. But community doesn’t happen simply because we gather in the same building. It grows through relationships - with one another and with the congregation we share

Belonging might begin with attending a Shabbat service, but perhaps it continues by introducing yourself to someone you don’t know at the Oneg. It might begin by bringing your child to Religious School and grow into volunteering for a program. It might mean joining a committee, attending an adult learning class, participating in Sisterhood or Brotherhood, helping with a social action project, singing in a choir, or simply reaching out to another congregant who could use a friendly call.

And belonging does not have to mean doing everything. We are all at different stages of our lives, with different amounts of time, energy, and interests. What matters is finding the place - or perhaps the people - that helps you feel connected.

Just as importantly, creating a sense of belonging is a responsibility we share. It is not enough for us to say that everyone is welcome. We need to make sure people feel welcome. When we see someone sitting alone, we can sit beside them. When we notice a new face, we can introduce ourselves. When someone hasn’t been around for a while, we can reach out. Small gestures can make an enormous difference.

As we move into 5787, I hope each of us will think about what it means not simply to attend Beth Emeth, but to belong to Beth Emeth. And then I hope we will take it one step further: What can each of us do to help someone else feel that they belong, too?

A congregation is more than a building, a calendar of programs, or even the services we hold. It is the relationships we build, the experiences we share, and the ways we care for one another.

That is how we turn attendance into participation, participation into connection, and connection into belonging.

May 5787 be a year in which each of us finds new ways to connect, to participate, and most importantly, to belong.

Robin Sobol, CBE President