January to March 2017

In the fall the excitement of the high holidays and new school year was upon us.  I wrote and spoke of all the new programming TBE has to offer.  One of the reasons I agreed to become President of our synagogue was to continue the work of our previous leaders in moving TBE forward.

At the same time, I realize that everything is not rosy behind the glow of the stained glass windows of our sanctuary or our redesigned classrooms.  TBE is in a period of growth and transition.  It’s easy to say that we are going to change things, but much harder to put change into action.  Many of us have a tendency to hold onto the things we thought were great when we were younger.  “They were so good why do we need to change them?” or “Well I always did things this way”.  It’s hard to let go and look forward to the unknown.

It’s rare that something new is perfect the first time it is tried.  We need to try things and see how they work.  Trial and error is a necessary part of any growth process.  Mistakes and failures are a natural and necessary byproduct.  If you have recommendations on how our programs are working or are not working, I encourage you to voice your opinion to the professional staff and the Board.  At the same time I urge you to make an effort to participate and come up with solutions to improve your complaints.  Constructive criticism is an invaluable problem-solving tool.  Be an active participant in TBE and help us make effective changes for the current and next generation of our congregants.

Just like a child, we need time and opportunity to try things out and be allowed to make mistakes.  These are growing pains.  Most importantly, we need your participation and ideas to make change successful.

Seth Charatz

President