Dear Community,

This Sunday, we’ll light the first candle to celebrate Chanukah. This eight-day celebration happens during the darkest time of the year, which, in Seattle, seems to be compounded by the relentless rain and gray skies. 

For many Jews in our community, Chanukah means different things – the miracle of an impossible victory against a formidable enemy, the miracle of oil that lasted for eight days, the miracle of our people persevering and thriving against all odds for thousands of years, or maybe just the miracle of a perfectly fried latke! Whatever Chanukah means to you, I hope you find joy in the light, the comfort of fried food, and the warmth of connections that this season brings.

While we are in the darkest and coldest season of the year, it’s the perfect time to think about summer plans, especially if you have children or grandchildren. On Monday, I spoke to a group of camp directors from the Association of Independent Jewish Camps from across North America who were in Seattle for their annual meeting, hosted by Camp Solomon Schechter. We discussed the importance of Jewish camp in raising the next generation, the challenge of affordability of Jewish life, and ways to reach families who are not actively engaged in Jewish life.

Here in Washington, we have three wonderful overnight camps – Camp Solomon Schechter, URJ Camp Kalsman, and Sephardic Adventure Camp. The Federation’s camp scholarship and incentive grant program ensures that every child has an opportunity to experience camp without financial barriers. If you are interested in the program, check out the eligibility and submit your application by February 27.

In addition to connecting our young people to their Jewish peers, we are also committed to connecting our community members with each other for meaningful conversations. Our new program, Shared Table, launching in March, brings Jews from across Greater Seattle to listen, learn, and communicate across diverse perspectives and opinions. If you missed my remarks at our Fall Fundraiser, I talked about the long Jewish tradition of multiple viewpoints and rich discussion, and I believe that if we are to build a strong Jewish future, we need to flex that muscle more as a community. If you are interested in participating in this pilot of the Shared Table program, I hope you will apply soon.

Last week, our JCRC team hosted a training on Jewish identity, anti-Jewish harm, and antisemitism for legislative staff in Olympia. The training brought together a diverse group of legislative assistants and caucus staff to learn how to identify and address antisemitism, create safe spaces for Jews in their districts, and engage with the Jewish community. 

Finally, I met with Seattle Mayor-elect Katie Wilson yesterday. I know some in our Jewish community supported Mayor-elect Wilson’s candidacy, and some opposed her. Regardless of how any of us voted, it is the Federation’s role to build relationships with all of our elected leaders so that we can advocate effectively on behalf of our community. Mayor-elect Wilson and I spoke about the Jewish community in Seattle, and she conveyed her commitment to ensuring Jewish safety and inclusion. She also made it clear that antisemitism is not going to be welcomed in Seattle under her leadership. Mayor-elect Wilson also stressed her commitment to transparency and proactive communication with our community. I appreciated this initial conversation, and I hope it will turn into a productive, open, working relationship supported by strong action from the Mayor’s office.

I wish you a bright and joyful Chanukah – may this season be a time of a little more light in our world.

Shabbat Shalom and Chag Urim Sameach!