Together, We Can

Between the High Holy Days, I was fortunate to spend two days in San Antonio with community leadership and staff to discuss the opportunities for the San Antonio Jewish Community. The reality is almost every community has opportunities to make strides to enhance its community.  As we begin the New Year, I appreciate the confidence of leadership to let me be part of the next chapter of the San Antonio Jewish Community, and to participate in discussions of how we build STRONGER TOGETHER.

I am fortunate to have spent basically the last 30 years in Texas engaged with the Jewish and non-Jewish communities.  Many of those engagements have resulted in strong, personal relationships.  Relationships have usually resulted in opportunities to address issues, without judgments being cast.  Prior to Texas, I was fortunate to work with and experience communities in the Northwest, Midwest, the Northeast and even the South.

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For those of you who have been in Texas for generations or even just recently moved here, one thing we learn is Texans march to their own drummer.  The same concept reflects the Jewish Community. This week’s Torah portion, Parshat Noach, Bereshit Genesis, tells the story of Noah and his sons. Ham saw his father, Noah, in a drunken state and unclothed in his tent.

What did he do?  He went and told his brothers. His brothers, Shem and Yefet, saw their father.  Without looking at their father, they took a blanket and covered him. The teaching here is, if you see what needs to be enhanced and how to enhance it, then you have found a piece of the world G-d has left for you to enhance.

If you only see what is wrong and how ugly it is, then it is you yourself that needs repair. In either case, it is impossible that you should see something, and believe there is nothing you can do. I look forward to meeting you and working with you.  Together, we can make the world better. Next Tuesday is election day.  If you have not already voted, please do so.  After all, every vote counts.

Randall Czarlinsky

Interim CEO, Jewish Federation of San Antonio