President’s Message 2023

What a year!  We are bouncing back after Covid. We keep calm and carry on, continuing and aspiring  to do the good that we do undeterred. We try to do our best for all members, trying to assist people to have the most meaningful Jewish experience while here in Bermuda. There was progress in the right direction with successful oneg shabbats and well attended holiday events. We have a lot of young families and for the first time in my memory we are outnumbered at events by children which is a very happy thing indeed and bodes well for the future. It does bring a bit of chaos, but we’ll take it.

Board Thank-You

Firstly, I would like to thank the board for a lot of work in the background this year. They step up unselfishly year after year doing what is needed to keep our community going. We have been resilient. Some of us do more than others which is ok, but some go over and above like Cort and Felicia and Tori.

Cortney our ‘Assistant’ Treasurer still does most of the grunt work for the community. Cort has been keeping all of our accounts in check. It’s a thankless job, one which requires almost daily attention, this gets largely unnoticed and unrecognized, but she works away behind the scenes with no accolades. I would like the membership to take a moment and consider that and next time you see her thank her and her family who probably miss out on endless hours of her attention. Cort also runs the Hebrew School, the planning the purchasing of materials, she opens up the doors every week, getting provisions and snacks for our kids and keeps it running smoothly. Many mistakenly think that I do it all but I want you to know that I pretty much just show up on the day, and have done for years. Thanks Cort, I appreciate you and all that you do for this community. 

Felicia, now about to step up to Vice President of the Community despite her growing family still organizes the communication, surveys and computer systems, she keeps everyone informed and in touch. She has also been doing the newsletter, emails, announcements and event reminders, Not to mention filling in when anything is needed... kids in tow. This is the central spine of the community. Without Felicia none of you would know who, what, when, where and how. Please acknowledge Felicia if you get a private moment with her, thank her AND her family for sacrificing hours of family time for us.

It is clear that Cort and Felicia have a genuine love and care for their Jewish origins. Despite having young growing families they made efforts to support any and all events we had even when they did not suit their family scheduling.

Tori steps up when she can, she is another one with her heart in the Community. She has been leading the Torah Tots, catching people with babies out and about and encouraging them to be involved. Her inclusiveness, enthusiasm and friendly style is infectious and I think anyone who has a Jewish baby in Bermuda can’t help but be attracted to the fun and friendship that Torah Tots provides to young mums and their families.

Everyone in the board does something and I would like to thank them all personally,  Catherine, Francine,Jodi, Alberto, Nir and Adam, thank you from all of us. You care, you step up. You each represent different Jewish Perspectives- all important. And I appreciate all of them even when I may have a different personal perspective- that’s ok. We are all in it together and all differences, small that they may be, need to be voiced and accommodated as best we can.

Year Overview

This year has been a different one. Some very successful events, some had to be abandoned for no interest, another year with no campaign fundraisers. Hard for everyone to get back into gear… Normalcy is returning despite that being a long lost memory… I think we can hardly remember what was normal now! I guess it’s a new normal. Perhaps we are still adjusting to evolving new needs of the Jewish Community.

Rabbi Berman and Beth did actually come for Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, but has since told us that he will no longer be able to serve this community. (Thank you thank you for your service!!) This led to a Rabbi search for us this year. It was a process but luckily for this community and in this case the Champion family’s connection to a now retiring Rabbi we have found what we think will be a perfect fit for us moving forward.

Our new Rabbi, Rabbi Meyer of Marblehead, who will try us out this year, is a highly respected family focused Rabbi, very attuned to the young which will be a welcome change. We look forward to him coming and please come this Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur and check him out.

Warren Bank assisted with his chazanic prowess this year again. which I think all would agree added a lot to the spirituality and feeling of the high holydays, Thanks so much Warren!!!! He is also a main fixture now on Oneg shabbat services. Thanks also to Damian again who stepped up again to provide the all-important shofar blowing!

We built the sukkah again this year and had a couple of events in it!

Chanukah was lovely. Back to a community event.

Purim also returned to a community event.

We got back to having a Community Seder! Well attended and enjoyed by many. It was at the Mariners club. Thanks to Tori and Jodi for doing the necessary legwork. Warren ran it! The seder was very well received… with a few culinary hiccups…we had a few starving children… but hopefully this has built resilience rather than put them off for life!!!! :)

Shabbat services and pot luck dinners did return to the Community, making us feel some degree of normalcy. Some weeks people are busier than others! Sometimes attending is not a priority for all.

Education

The children who attended Hebrew school have done well. Attendance has been better this year… the kids are learning nicely and happy to see each other and be together. They are a resilient group and we have lots to catch up on.

Torah Tots continued to be very popular with the under 4’s. Parents are catching their little ones singing Shabbat shalom in their cribs and some reciting brachot. It seems all of them will do anything for Challah! Thanks to Tori who provided fresh homemade challah every week!

Pre Barmitzvah class.(Gimmels and Dalets): Suspended due to small numbers. The kids have had private tuition.

The JCC Building

Our lease runs out this year, we shall see where this brings us. We may move forward and purchase a building, maybe this one, all options are possible.

We may face not having a building at all which may strike some of us with fear, but it’s not something new as some of the long-term members will remember and we will evolve and work on whatever we can do.

Negotiations with St Johns church for the JCC have rekindled. We continue to consider and look at all other options at this stage. Tori is our property expert…she keeps an eagle eye on the market. Thanks Tori for that, it is very valuable intel.

Newsletter

Currently quarterly. At the moment. I would like to see this expand… It’s the life blood of the community. We could do more, we as a board hope to. Tori is out there on the internet…Bermuda Jewish. She posts all sorts of things; if you are not connected please ask her about it.

Life Events

We had the death of Brian Alkon a long time supporter of the JCB. 

Welcome Olivia Jatto! Mazal tov to Jatto Family 

Welcome Joseph Frith! Mazal tov to the Friths

Two lovely little girls Ava and Laila are enjoying being big sisters.

Francine and Alan are expecting their second grandchild… Go Rebecca!!

The epic Charlie Bernstein Bar Mitzvah. Huge Mazal Tov to the Bernsteins!! Another child born into this community and still here for his Bar Mitzvah. So we’ll claim that one as made in Bermuda! And brought up in the Jewish Community of Bermuda.

Ellis will have her Batmitzvah in September!

Weddings:

None this year but Freddie Knight will be married in October.

Chabad

Once again, I personally have no information to share as to whether they are coming or not. I do know that their website is still live and that they continue to collect donations. 

In this regard, the board has the mind to just keep calm and carry on.

Closing

So that’s it for this year.

I with you all a nice summer break and see you when the High Holydays kick in.

Yours Sincerely, Fiona