PA Creates Nonprofit Security Grant Fund

The following is my cover story in the November 14, 2019 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link about the establishment of a $5 million Nonprofit Security Grant Fund in Pennsylvania:

PA Creates Nonprofit Security Grant Fund

One of the many byproducts of the synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh one year ago is the increased attention being paid to the importance of safeguarding houses of worship from future attacks. In that vein, the Pennsylvania State Legislature recently took a significant step to address the issue of the potential vulnerabilities of religious institutions.

With a flourish of the pen on the afternoon of November 7, 2019, Governor Tom Wolf signed into law House Bill 859, which establishes a $5 million Nonprofit Security Grant Fund to provide funding for safety and security improvements to facilities used by faith-based nonprofits in Pennsylvania.

“Schools and other community institutions should be a safe place for every child and resident,” said Governor Wolf. “I thank the bipartisan efforts that helped ensure safety and security funding was available for these non-profit, community institutions where people gather and should have peace of mind.”

While the legislation was originally part of Senate Bill 676, the Senate recently amended it onto House Bill 859. The Senate passed it unanimously on October 23 and the House overwhelmingly passed it on October 28. It was then presented to the Governor for his signature.

The Nonprofit Security Grant Fund, which will be administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), would provide funding for security enhancements, including planning, threat awareness, and response training; equipment and technology such as metal detectors, lighting, surveillance, communications systems, locksets, deadbolts, trauma kits, and anti-theft devices; vulnerability and threat assessments; specialty-trained canines; and other upgrades to existing structures that enhance safety and security.

Grant awards will range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $150,000. PCCD will select awardees in consultation with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and the Pennsylvania State Police. The Nonprofit Security Grant Fund will begin accepting applications in March 2020.

“Just over a year ago, the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in our nation’s history took place right here in Pennsylvania,” said state Senator Andrew Dinniman (D-Chester), who originally introduced the measure as part of Senate Bill 676. “We must never forget, but we also must act. And that is why we worked together across party lines to pass this bill. Because by standing up to protect the rights of freedom of religious expression, we’re protecting the right to worship of all… regardless of faith or background, everyone deserves to feel safe in their place of worship.”

“This is about taking the next step to do what needs to be done by making available resources to protect our communities and those who want to worship freely in a safe way,” said state Senator Jay Costa (D-Allegheny), one of the original sponsors of the bill.

“Houses of worship are places of refuge for many, and we must do everything we can to ensure that Pennsylvanians can feel safe in their spiritual homes,” said state Representative Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny), whose district includes the Tree of Life Synagogue where the deadly attack took place. “Our constituents – particularly those who were affected by last year’s horrifying attack – have a right to feel secure as they go about their lives. This funding is one of several ways we are working to protect that right.”

The Orthodox Union joined its subsidiary, Teach PA, in thanking state officials for taking a significant step that aligns Pennsylvania with other states such as New York, New Jersey, California and Maryland in creating safety programs for houses of worship and nonprofits.

“Jewish institutions across the country face an increased threat and we thank the Pennsylvania Jewish Coalition and Senators Jay Costa, Andrew Dinniman and Representative Dan Frankel, among others, for championing this,” said Teach PA Executive Director Arielle Frankston-Morris. “The Jewish community is hopeful that continued advocacy will yield more safety, tolerance and unity in the Commonwealth.”

Teach PA, which is a leading advocate for equitable funding for Pennsylvania’s nonpublic schools, noted that houses of worship, including synagogues, churches and mosques, which until now could not access Pennsylvania state safety grants, will be able to apply for this critical funding. Schools, community centers, camps and others will also be able to apply for these grants.

The Publisher's Perspective - 11/14/19

The following is my piece in the November 14, 2019 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link:

It may sound crazy, but I love politics. In today’s politically charged environment, where bitterness has replaced bipartisanship and contempt has supplanted camaraderie, I admit that my affinity for politics may have you questioning my sanity.

Allow me to explain. Over the years, I have been involved in many political campaigns and worked in state and local government. My work has spanned the gamut – public policy, issue advocacy, drafting legislation and political communications. That feeling of helping a constituent who comes to you for assistance when they have nowhere else to turn is amazing and the sense of fulfillment you get when helping to effectuate legislative change that benefits the Jewish community is incredible. If we can put aside our cynicism for just a moment, it is very possible that more members of our community will recognize the importance of staying abreast of, and active in, the political sphere, both as Americans and as Jews.

Naturally, I am closely following the 2020 presidential race. As the jockeying among the candidates increases in intensity, each person is trying to make themselves stand out in the hopes of getting a bump in the polls. As a result, much of what it is said has to be taken with a grain of salt, in that policy positions sometimes fluctuate as much as the stock market does. What is said today may not hold true tomorrow.

That being said, I was deeply perturbed when several candidates recently stated their readiness to use U.S. aid to Israel as leverage to pressure the Israeli government. Although it is possible that they were merely pandering to a particular audience, the fact that they would present themselves as willing to condition military aid to Israel is terribly alarming.

The $3.8 billion in security assistance that Israel receives annually from the U.S. resulted from a 2016 Memorandum of Understanding entered into between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu, which has a ten-year term.

This aid is absolutely critical to Israel’s safety and security and the well-being of a close American ally. It is a vital tool in Israel’s efforts to maintain a qualitative military edge and ensure that it has the wherewithal to defend itself against the existential threats that it regularly faces. Military aid to Israel cannot and should not be used to score cheap political points, and the fact that certain presidential candidates, or any government official for that matter, would so cavalierly use it as part of the proverbial carrot and stick approach to induce Israel to accede to their political will is infuriating.

The U.S. made a commitment to Israel for a reason and they should stick to it, irrespective of politics. As presidential candidate and former VP Joe Biden said, the notion that the U.S. would cut aid to Israel on the condition that they change a particular policy is “absolutely outrageous” and “a gigantic mistake.”

Yes, I still love politics. It is because I love politics that I recognize the danger in candidates making these types of statements, and it is because I love politics that I recognize the importance of our community speaking out against political pronouncements and positions that could adversely impact Israel. The apparent lack of understanding by some of the significance of U.S. aid to Israel is appalling, and it is up to the American Jewish community to vociferously object to any effort to backtrack on the United States’ commitment to Israel.

Reflecting on the Pittsburgh Attack One Year Later

The following is my cover story in the October 31, 2019 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link about the first anniversary of the deadly shooting in a Pittsburgh synagogue:

Reflecting on the Pittsburgh Attack One Year Later

When a gunman armed with an assault rifle and several handguns entered the Tree of Life - Or L’Simcha Congregation in Pittsburgh at 9:50 a.m. on Saturday, October 27, 2018, and began shooting while shouting anti-Semitic slurs, the lives of countless people changed forever.

For the families of the eleven congregants who tragically lost their lives on that fateful day, the pain is still palpable. For the worshipers and law enforcement personnel who sustained serious injuries, the memory of what happened is still fresh. For anyone who has ever prayed in a synagogue or other House of Worship, the realization of what happened in Pittsburgh is at the forefront of their minds.

As we mark one year since what is perhaps the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in the history of the United States, in which a congregation was instantly transformed into a combat zone, the question is, now what? Where do things stand one year later?

According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), American Jews continue to face significant threats one year after the attack. Since the deadly shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue, at least twelve white supremacists have been detained by law enforcement for their alleged roles in terrorist plots, attacks or threats against the U.S. Jewish community.

Moreover, white supremacists have targeted properties that house Jewish institutions more than fifty times since the Pittsburgh attack. The ADL Center on Extremism found that there were twelve occasions of vandalism using white supremacist symbols and thirty-five distributions of white supremacist propaganda. We have also seen white supremacists demonstrating outside AIPAC offices and Israeli consulates. In the first half of 2019, there were approximately 780 anti-Semitic incidents throughout the United States.

Yet, despite the rise in anti-Semitism and the reverberations of the Pittsburgh attack one year later, there is a sense of optimism and the recognition that the Jewish community must endure, as well as a need to continue reflecting on what occurred.

Adam Hertzman, the Director of Marketing at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, recalled gathering with his Federation colleagues shortly after the news broke that there was an active shooter situation at Tree of Life and working diligently to organize and bring people together in the aftermath of the attack.

“We didn’t know all of the details yet, but my first reaction was the reaction of every Jew to hearing something like this – ‘oy,’” Hertzman told the Philadelphia Jewish Link. “I was in work and help mode, and I don’t know that I thought a lot about it until I got home that evening and hugged my kids. It was awful. I think my first reaction was shock.”

Citing the Federation’s good working relationship with the various Jewish agencies in Pittsburgh, Hertzman spoke about the collaboration among the various organizations.

“It was a seamless collaboration between JFCS, JCC, and Federation trying to notify all of the other synagogues and Jewish organizations and to make sure they had their security lockdown procedures in place. We worked on setting up a place for the families of the victims to wait that was comfortable for them and away from the media, on trying the keep the community calm at a time when there was understandably high anxiety, and on trying to get information out as quickly as possible in a sensitive way.”

One of the most incredible things to happen following the Pittsburgh attack was that people from all over the world and from all walks of life essentially came together to offer all kinds of assistance, whether it be financial, spiritual or physical, to the victims’ families and the greater Pittsburgh community.

For example, members of the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina, where a white supremacist opened fire and killed nine people in June 2015, traveled to Pittsburgh in order to spend time with the survivors of the synagogue attack and comfort them.

In addition, there was an interfaith prayer vigil held the night after the attack, where people of different faiths joined to remember the victims. Wasi Mohamed, the Executive Director of the Islamic Center of Pittsburgh, electrified the crowd when he announced that the Islamic Center raised more than $70,000 for the Jewish community in the 24 hours since the shooting.

“We just want to know what you need,” he said during his remarks at the vigil. “If it’s people outside your next service protecting you, let us know and we will be there. If you just need someone to come to the grocery store because you don’t feel safe in the city, we’ll be there and I’m sure everybody in the room would say the same thing.”

Following his address, the video of which went viral, an additional $168,000 was raised.

“The outpouring of support from the entire city of Pittsburgh and from people around the world was really overwhelming and so meaningful to the Jewish community here,” Hertzman said. 

“The thing that strikes me in retrospect is although there’s certainly a rise in anti-Semitism around the world, I also feel like this is a time in history like no other time in the history of the world, in which there would be this overwhelming outpouring of support,” he added. “You can imagine a time 100 years ago, where if something like this happened to the Jewish community, the rest of the community would shrug. Knowing that the world has changed in that way really helps with the healing in Pittsburgh.”

There is no question that one year after the attack, members of the Jewish community in Pittsburgh are still healing. There are people whose struggles persist as they continue down what could be a very lengthy path to recovery.

“Healing is different for different people and isn’t a linear process,” noted Hertzman. “There are people who have really gathered strength from being around others and from all the support that we’ve gotten, and then there are people who haven’t recovered at all, and everything in between.”

“The unintended consequences of this horror are so incredibly positive and uplifting – something no one could have anticipated,” said Rabbi Jeffrey Myers of the Tree of Life - Or L’Simcha Congregation. “People thrust together by this heinous act continued to find ways to help each other on a healing path. People discovered strength that they didn’t know they had, and some found new purpose in their lives. The evil intentions of one person continued to sprout positive acts in ways that one cannot imagine.”

“We will always be in the process of healing, for, unlike a physical wound, this wound never fully heals,” added Rabbi Myers. “Reminders of that horrific day surround us. Each day, we must integrate the trauma of that day into our beings. To emerge and engage in our new reality, we must develop the necessary tools we need to face the challenges that each day brings. I am fueled by two things – faith and hope.”

In addition to healing, there is also the question of rebuilding. That issue recently appeared to gain some clarity following an address by Tree of Life President Sam Schachner during Kol Nidre on Yom Kippur, when he announced to the congregants that the synagogue will proceed with rebuilding plans that reflect resiliency, strength, and community collaboration.

The building, which was home to three congregations who all lost members in the attack – Tree of Life, New Light Congregation, and Congregation Dor Hadash – has not reopened since the attack one year ago. Tree of Life has since promised to return to the building in a demonstration of its faith with a pledge to fight anti-Semitism and all types of discrimination.

“We are poised to become an incredible center for Jewish life in the United States,” said Rabbi Myers. “When we reopen, and we most certainly will, I want the entire world to say, ‘Wow. Look at what they have done.’ To do anything less disrespects the memory of our 11 martyrs.”

While describing the plan to eventually reopen the synagogue, Barb Feige, Tree of Life’s Executive Director, stated that Tree of Life will be patient and deliberate about planning its future. Immediately following the shooting, the primary focus was on the needs of the victims’ families and survivors. The plan took time to develop as the synagogue dealt with helping its congregants to heal as well as settling into their new temporary space in Rodef Shalom, and the new daily demands of dealing with investigators, insurers, the numerous requests and extensive outpouring of support from across the country and throughout the world.

“We are a resilient community,” said Schachner. “When something bad happens, we have three choices. We can either let it define us, let it destroy us, or we can let it strengthen us. We will not let this attack destroy us. And we will not let this attack define us as a congregation.”

“We will start by engaging in a rebuilding effort in a victim-centered, collaborative, sensitive and caring manner,” Schachner continued. “We will build a cooperative and collaborative space located on the current Tree of Life - Or L’Simcha site that brings together stakeholders in a shared environment. Our buildings are too old and damaged for a narrow, limited vision. We will create a place that is alive with a balance of the future and the past; a place that has the flexibility to change with the times.”

Before the attack last October that left the synagogue unsuitable for worship, the 60-year-old building had mostly outlived its usefulness and needed hundreds of thousands of dollars in deferred repairs. Prior to the shooting, Tree of Life was already working to expand its “metropolitan model,” where three congregations shared space, expenses, and programming under one roof, while retaining individual identities and assets.

“This model is now being broadened and we have developed a vision for what we’re calling a ‘Community Collaborative/Cooperative,’” said Feige.

This expanded model will include worship spaces for Tree of Life and other interested congregations, along with the Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh and Chatham University – two organizations that have signed on to explore the collaboration – along with other community stakeholders interested in renovating and rebuilding with Tree of Life. “Having the Holocaust Center and Chatham share space with us would give us an educational component that we wish to provide as well,” Feige noted.

The vision plan also includes a memorial to the eleven lives lost in the attack.

“Our future is not about being the synagogue that was attacked, it is about being the synagogue that survived, thrived and remembered who we are,” said Schachner. “We will turn tragedy into triumph, loss into life and love. We will be resilient, and we will be strong.”

In conjunction with the one-year anniversary of the shooting, Governor Tom Wolf signed a proclamation declaring October 27, 2019, a day of remembrance and ordered state flags to fly at half-staff. The proclamation extends the city of Pittsburgh’s resolution declaring the day “Remember. Repair. Together. Day” statewide to include all Pennsylvanians.

“A year has passed, but I continue to carry sorrow for the victims and their families of this heinous attack,” said Governor Wolf. “We must honor them by remembering, and through our thoughts, prayers, and actions. Pittsburgh is a city of bridges, and so it is a fitting tribute to commemorate this occasion with a day of building bridges of understanding, welcome, and friendship.”

As the community rebuilds, Adam Hertzman noted the importance of Jewish institutions being vigilant and cognizant that there are people out there who might view the Jewish community as a target. He stressed the critical role that community security plays on a regular basis and remarked that security outside a synagogue or a school is not just about the building and the guard; it is also about communication and training. Hertzman observed that “Run Hide Fight” training actually saved lives during the Tree of Life attack because a number of the congregants were well-versed in the protocols and knew they needed to run away from the shooter and hide.

On the issue of general preparedness, Hertzman believes that “it’s incumbent on synagogues and Jewish organizations to reach out to each other and coordinate on what to do in the event of an emergency.”

Notwithstanding what took place in the Tree of Life synagogue on October 27, 2018, Hertzman considers Pittsburgh to be a safe haven for Jews.

“Despite the rise in anti-Semitism, Jewish Pittsburgh was one of the safest communities in the country before this attack, and frankly it’s still one of the safest communities.”

As we reflect on the lives that were cut short due to a senseless act of violence and ruminate on how the broader Jewish community was impacted by the anti-Semitic attack, we can all take solace in the fact that the healing persists, our faith is powerful, and the rebuilding is proceeding.

The Publisher's Perspective - 10/31/19

The following is my piece in the October 31, 2019 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link:

The Publisher’s Perspective

The word of the day is perseverance. The quality of being able to put forth a sustained effort to accomplish a goal regardless of the challenges and complexities that we may face is one of the core characteristics that defines us human beings and as Jews.

Throughout our history we have faced numerous obstacles which may have appeared insurmountable at the time, yet our faith never wavered, and we persevered despite the overwhelming odds.

The truth is, perseverance does not have to be solely associated with global trials and tribulations that posed a direct threat to our Jewish identity and the very existence of our people. Of course, there are dark chapters in our history that pushed the Jewish community to the brink, including the persecution by the Nazis during the Holocaust and the expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. There were pogroms against the Jews in Russia in the late 19th century and early 20th century, as well as the Crusades in medieval times, which left a trail of death and devastation in their wake, including the destruction of the Jewish communities of Speyer, Worms, Mainz, and Cologne. It took a tremendous amount of perseverance, as well as the Yad Hashem, to overcome those monumental struggles.

We also face adversity in our everyday lives which tests not just our patience, but our ability to persevere. For example, think about the high winds that blew through our region over Chol Hamoed Sukkot. Did the schach blow off your sukkah? Did your sukkah decorations get ruined? Did your sukkah come down? None of those things are pleasant, nor are they ideal. The natural response to each of those scenarios would be to get angry and perhaps come up with a reason why there is no need to rebuild your sukkah with the chag nearing completion. However, the proper response would be to shrug it off, pick up the pieces (literally and figuratively), and reconstruct your sukkah so your family could enjoy Sukkot accordingly.

Perseverance is also an apt description for the Jewish community in Pittsburgh. One year after a heinous attack at the Tree of Life synagogue that left eleven people dead, the community has pledged to rebuild and emerge from the attack more united and stronger than before. It is the incredible resolve of a community that was the target of anti-Semitism and sustained unimaginable losses and pain that truly epitomizes what perseverance is all about.

When it comes to the importance of dogged determination in order to have a real shot at being triumphant throughout the journey of life, Vince Lombardi, Jr., an attorney, former football executive and motivational speaker who is the son of legendary NFL coach, Vince T. Lombardi, may have said it best: “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.”

As Jews, we do not have the luxury of lacking tenacity. Our inner sense of steadfastness is what enables us to emerge from the darkest of days with our faith intact and our special status as a nation unscathed. Regardless of what each day may bring and despite our enemies’ best efforts, we can and will persevere. The word of the day is perseverance.

The Publisher's Perspective - 10/10/19

The following is my piece in the October 10, 2019 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link:

The Publisher’s Perspective

I only had to buy a lulav and etrog once in my life. It was in 1991, when I was learning in yeshiva in Israel for the year following my graduation from high school. Before Sukkot, I traveled to Yerushalayim with a bunch of my friends in search of the perfect set of Arba Minim. Having never purchased them on my own prior to that experience, I relied on the advice of my friends and the various merchants that we visited, and I ultimately chose a set that seemed to be satisfactory.

You may be asking; how could it be that a grown man has gone through life having purchased a lulav and etrog on just one occasion, 28 years ago? Don’t we celebrate Sukkot each and every year? Does he not annually fulfill one of the primary mitzvot associated with this special holiday?

The answer is that I have indeed been the proud owner of a set of Arba Minim from as far back as I can remember. In fact, not only do I own a set of Arba Minim each year, but they are always first-rate. The lulav is tall and majestic, the etrog is consistently exceptional, and the hadassim and aravot are unfailingly verdant. And that is all because my father would have it no other way.

For my father, buying the Arba Minim was one of the highlights of his year. I remember going with him as a young child to pick them out, and I recall the amount of time and care that he took to inspect each one in his quest for the perfect set. When I got older and was no longer living in my parents’ house, my father would take my mother with him and engage in the same methodical and meticulous process on an annual basis.

For many years, my parents came to our house for the first days of Sukkot. Not only did my father bring for me a top quality lulav and etrog; he also brought one for each of my children. It was a mitzvah that he took extremely seriously, and I would venture to say that the time he spent sitting with my children while assembling each set of the Arba Minim and teaching them about every facet of the mitzvah was perhaps the highlight of his chag.

This year is going to be different. It will be the first Sukkot that I am going to spend without my father. There have been many moments when I have felt that searing pain and intense sense of loss since he passed away five months ago. Those deep feelings of grief manifest themselves in different ways and at different times. They may be linked to a particular event or sometimes to a fleeting thought. Either way, the ache is real, and it is something that I am learning to live with.

However, as we prepare for Sukkot, I am dreading the void that I will inevitably feel. We will miss having my father with us in the Sukkah and I will miss having him sit next to me in shul. 

Yet, I think that I will miss his presence most when I stand in shul and hold the Arba Minim aloft during Hallel and the Hakafot. And that is because for the first time in a very long time, my father will not be bringing me a lulav and etrog.

As I look around my Sukkah this year and see my beautiful family all around me, I will thank Hashem for all that I have, and I will remember my beloved father, who will be deeply missed.

The Publisher's Perspective - 9/26/19

The following is my piece in the September 26, 2019 edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link:

The Publisher’s Perspective

Rosh Hashanah is a time for reflection and introspection. We ruminate on our personal and public actions, our relationship with Hashem, and our sense of inner worth. The period of the Yamim Noraim is an opportunity to ponder life in a manner in which we do not often do during the balance of the year.

As we engage in spiritual contemplation, one of the things that we ought to consider is the world in which we live. We are privileged to dwell in a nation where we are given the freedom to practice our religion without the fear of reprisal, and we are afforded liberties that Jews in other countries are not necessarily granted.

However, as we consider how fortunate we are to live in a society where freedom of religion is sacrosanct, we cannot ignore the fact that there are individuals in our midst for whom anti-Semitism, racism, and hatred are ingrained in their very being.

Sadly, we are reminded of this frightening fact all too often. Last October, a man walked into the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh during davening on Shabbat morning and murdered eleven people. Last April, a shooting at Chabad of Poway in California on the last day of Pesach left one person dead and several others wounded. This past July, a member of the Young Israel of Greater Miami was shot as he stood outside the shul waiting for minyan to begin.

The notion that a House of Worship could be an attractive target for individuals with deep-seated hatred is extremely disturbing. The fact that someone could somehow rationalize walking into a place of prayer and transforming it into a bloody battleground is incomprehensible. Yet, we have tragically seen that our shuls, which we consider to be sanctuaries, are in fact susceptible to heinous acts of bigotry and violence.

As a community, we must not ignore the chilling reality of this growing threat. That is not to say we should feel a sense of trepidation when we walk into shul. On the contrary, we should feel a sense of exhilaration and exuberance when we walk into a Beit Knesset. However, amidst the spiritual elation we should enjoy while at shul, we must always be cognizant of the need to remain vigilant.

As we spend a great deal of time in shul during Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, in addition to thanking Hashem for the wonderful blessings that He mercifully bestows upon us, we should also remember to thank the security guard who may be standing outside the shul and the Shmira volunteers who give of their time to help keep us safe.

We cannot pretend that the vulnerabilities do not exist. Nevertheless, we cannot let fear consume us and deprive us of the wonderful feeling that should permeate our heart and soul while we are davening in shul. It behooves all of us to have both kavanah and a degree of caution while at shul. We do not need to be fearful; rather, we simply need to be mindful of what is happening around us.

Wishing everyone a ktiva v’chatima tova. May the year 5780 bring peace, prosperity, health and happiness to our entire community and to Jews around the world.

The Publisher's Perspective - 9/12/19

The following is my piece in the inaugural edition of the Philadelphia Jewish Link, which came out on September 12, 2019:

The Publisher’s Perspective

It sometimes feels like our world is descending into chaos. We are witnessing a degree of political strife that dominates the news cycle on a daily basis, and all too often we find ourselves discussing yet another mass shooting and mourning lives that were tragically cut short. The frightening rise of anti-Semitism is foremost on our minds and anti-Israel animus is becoming all too prevalent.

With the degree of dissension in the world today reaching dangerous proportions, we must do our due diligence and strive to overcome the discord that is tearing the fabric of our society apart. In the face of tremendous and sometimes terrifying challenges, it is imperative that we maintain our focus and not lose sight of what is most important.

As Jews, one of the most fundamental elements of our faith is the importance of community. The notion of kol Yisrael arevim zeh bazeh, that all Jews are responsible for one another, ensures that community perpetually remains a constant and central force in our lives.

Building communities is one of the hallmarks of Judaism, and it is a critical exercise that binds us together and provides us with the spiritual nourishment needed to survive. Jewish day schools, shuls, institutions dedicated to limud Torah, and community-wide organizations are key elements of any religious Jewish community. We are extremely fortunate that the Greater Philadelphia area and South Jersey are blessed with an abundance of these types of entities.

We are a vibrant and robust community, one which is replete with everything we need to maintain our Jewish lifestyle and ideals. There is a plethora of engaging educational opportunities, pertinent programs, and exciting activities, all of which are offered on a regular basis. As a Jewish community, we have it all.

That is precisely why I am so thrilled to be launching the Philadelphia Jewish Link. We will serve as a medium through which schools, shuls, and community-based institutions can broadcast all their wonderful programs and happenings to a larger audience in one unified publication. We will provide full-color news coverage, event photos, relevant ads, exciting features, columns, opinion pieces, and divrei Torah written by contributors with strong connections to our Jewish community.

The Philadelphia Jewish Link is committed to highlighting the best of our dynamic Jewish community by actively promoting a sense of achdut, unity. By bridging the gap between like-minded neighborhoods that may be separated solely by geographic distance, we will be bringing people together in a new and exciting way.

My hope is that the paper will be able to accurately convey what makes the Greater Philadelphia area and South Jersey unique and play a pivotal role in further building and strengthening our community in the future. Let us work together to make the bond that links us stronger than ever.