Rabbi’s Speech: Celebrating Our Chai (18th) Year

Dear Members and friends,

I stand before you with deep gratitude. Thank you to all our speakers for your thoughtful words and caring hearts. I also, again, thank all of you; our leadership, members and guests. Since I have the privilege of speaking on many occasions, I will keep my remarks relatively brief—so we can get to dessert!

When I first joined this congregation in the Summer of 2023, I came with experience and knowledge of what it means to be a rabbi of a community. But at KH, you welcomed me not only as your rabbi but also as a friend.

My main Torah, my main teaching, which of course is a central theme in Judaism — is about relationships: conversation, partnership, and the sacred back-and-forth of Hevruta. 

KH is a place where my kind of Torah thrives, and I do not take that for granted. This community has become my tribe and my spiritual home. Seeing how our relationships have flourished fills me with immense joy, pride, and gratitude.

I want to speak about love, Ahavah.

Because love needs a home. Relationships need a home. Growth needs real space.

For 18 years, we have been nomads, wanderers. We have become accustomed to gather in borrowed spaces, forgetting to imagine it can be different. But since losing access to the South Gate Community Center, a new conversation has begun among our members —one filled with the urgency and understanding that we need to find a more permanent home.

This is our moment. We are ready for our next chapter. This is the time, at 18, to transition from adolescence to adulthood. We do not need to remain a wandering tribe. We have reached the Promised Land – Sarasota! Have we not? Then why are we still wandering? We are ready to root ourselves in a space that reflects the heart and soul of who we are. A home that ensures our sustainability. A sacred place that embodies the love and commitment that we collectively have poured into KH for 18 years.

A community without a home can survive, 

but cannot thrive. 

And we, my friends, are ready to thrive. 

We are ready to step into our future, to stop asking, “Where will we gather next?” and instead open the doors of our own space—a space that holds our ark and Torahs, our books and tapestries, our celebrations and learning, our stories and dreams.

In a world often marked by isolation, we have built something rare: a close-knit community grounded in deep relationships, vibrant spirituality, and intellectual curiosity. People are searching for connection—for a place where they feel truly seen and valued. For years, we were virtually invisible in Sarasota. Now, people are discovering KH, drawn to the warmth, depth, and belonging that we provide.

And now, in our 18th Chai year, it is time to embrace the next stage of our development.

A building is more than walls. It is a symbol—of who we are and who we strive to become. It is where we will pray, study, celebrate, serve others, and find comfort in our traditions and in each other. It will be a sanctuary for our shared values, a foundation for our future.

So let us dream boldly, give generously, and build courageously. The future of KH is in our hands, and it is a future filled with friendship, love, and many possibilities.

May we step forward with strength, holy hutzpah, and courage, knowing that what we build today will serve others in the future. We have been blessed by KH and those who came before us. Now, it is our turn to pay it forward. 

Love needs a home. Relationships need a home. Growth needs a real space.

Hazak, hazak, v’nithazek—from strength to strength, may we continue to strengthen one another, KH, and the Jewish community in Sarasota. 

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