Words from our Congregation President, Ricki Bauman
October, 2026
The Torah says that you will welcome the stranger 36 times; more than any other commandment. Clearly, our Biblical ancestors were trying to tell us something. Over the last three years, the Board and I have worked hard at doing just that; making sure that we greet everyone, learn their names, where they’re from — and to make a connection. I know that new congregants really appreciate it when I know their names and generally what our connections are. And really, it’s all about Jewish geography. I’ve moved so many times in my life in four different states that you’d never know that I’m from New York (except for the accent), as I have an 813 number — why? Because for my careers, I needed to have local numbers so that it wouldn’t be long distance — remember that?
And a lot of times I know where people are calling from or I see it on their membership forms: 917, 347, 212 from the City of New York; 616 for Nassau County; 631 for Suffolk County; 404 and 770 for Atlanta; 305 for Miami-Dade;732 for New Jersey; and we can go on and on. But it’s a great conversation starter — and we find commonalities that makes strangers friends. And that’s the beautiful thing about Beth Israel — although we really do take it to the nextlevel. Not only do we become friends, but we become mishpochah – family – as many of us don’t have close relatives nearby. In good times and bad, we’re here for each other — and isn’t that what it really is all about?
L’shalom
Ricki
