Minute With Moshe

March has been a fantastic month for the Federation. We hosted a well received virtual community event where we were able to raise over $10,000 toward our annual campaign while simultaneously engaging the community in thoughtful introspective discussions. Jewish Family services launched their annual Passover appeal and our community was able to help the Hebrews cross the Red Sea. Together we were able to raise over $3,000 to ensure no one in our community should have to deal with food insecurities this Passover.
I’m grateful for the support we have received to date to get us to 90% of our 2021 annual Campaign goal. As warm weather approaches and more and more individuals become vaccinated, we now have an opportunity to build on our fundraising and programming success.

Here’s how you can help:

1. How and what we give to Jewish causes is a highly personal decision. Before June, my goal is to have 100 1:1 conversations with community members about a meaningful gift to the 2021 Campaign. Click here to set a convenient meeting time to have this conversation or call Sheri Alpert at 574-233-1164 at extension 1820.
2. The Federation’s mission is to be the central hub for everything Jewish in Michiana. Have a suggestion or programming idea to use our Federation campus better, call or email me. 

Future Programming

Camp ideal will be managing our community garden this year and running the Shi’shuk, our Friday Market, selling Shabbat challahs, fresh flower bouquets, herbs, and vegetables from the garden. If you have a passion for gardening, we seek a few volunteers (see p.5) who can assist with the community garden and make this an excellent educational tool for campers.
The Jewish Federation has been privileged to work with Forever Learning Institute (FLI) for many years. Together we have offered classes ranging from Holiday Cooking to Film to Health and Wellness and more. Come Fall Semester, we are working with FLI to bring back in-person classes and hybrid learning to the Federation.
With this goal in mind, I’m interested in developing a Scholars & Scholarship database to catalog the depth and diversity of the outstanding talent and expertise we possess in our community. Likewise, we will also be developing an Arts and Culture database of artists, comedians, storytellers, and teachers who have a skill and passion for sharing. In short, the goal of compiling this information is to tap into the deep-well-of-talent that we possess in Jewish Michiana. 

Federation Campus Beautification

Spring is in the air, which means it’s time for some good old fashion spring cleaning around the campus. We are developing a Beautification Plan to upgrade the landscaping around the building and the entrance drive. This Spring clean-up and plan is the first phase of a longer-term beautification plan that will breathe new life and appeal into our campus.  

Security

As we prepare to reopen safely, the Federation is also conducting a comprehensive security assessment working in tandem with The Secure Community Network (SCN), a nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to the American Jewish community’s safety and security. Congress has recently approved monies for enhancing nonprofit protection. With help from the SCN and a local security company, we are submitting a grant for proposed upgrades that will make our campus a safer place 
for all.

Passover Message

This year at Passover, let us celebrate our freedom, our strength, and our ability to overcome adversity. It’s been a tough year with the global pandemic and all that it entailed. 
In creating this happy, healthy, and whole community, we will need strength, perseverance, and courage like all journeys. We will also need understanding and trust to break down barriers and create opportunities for the community to heal and move forward in a Jewish ecosystem where we are stronger together. We need a reimagined vision to underpin this change. On this Passover that marks my first anniversary at the Federation, may our legacy to create community that blesses us all be determined by the words we chose, the actions we take, the resources we give, and the compassionate way we care.