President's Page

From Erev Rosh Hashana)

Welcome everyone to Erev Rosh Hashana 2022, I am excited to be here tonight to start the High Holidays in what seems the first normal season in quite awhile.  The good news is that we made it, we have been through the worst of this pandemic but we have found our new normal and we have a path forward. There was no handbook and I thank our previous leadership for having navigated us through some pretty tough times.

In addition to our new normal, our Synagogue has adapted to our new way of life.  We have streaming services for the high holiday services and on Shabbat we offer zoom services.  We learned to do lunch and learn via zoom and even attend concerts virtually.  Thankfully this is all behind us now and we are back in person able to enjoy each other's company and feel the strength of the Jewish community.

 Here we are, stronger than we have been.  We are celebrating in a beautiful new sanctuary with our not so new Rabbi anymore and the state of Bnai Israel Congregation is very very strong.

Our membership continues to grow, in fact, this year alone 20 membership units have joined the Synagogue.  We are proud that you chose Bnai Israel and are excited to get to know you and for you to get involved in the Synagogue.  Please know I am always available to speak with you and help you find different areas you might enjoy.  Our new member dinner chaired by Susan Turner and Felice Zeldin was a huge success and I thank you and your committee for all the work you did to make it happen.

Our Sunday School continues to grow, in fact, in two years we have gone from around 4 kids in the Hebrew school to almost 20 kids who are signed up or about to be signed up, as well as a group of about 10 children under Hebrew School age who actively engage monthly in our Tot’s program. 

Here at BIC, inclusion is important and is the main focus of our Open Doors Committee, headed by Rena Goldwasser. She and her committee have been working to create frameworks in the synagogue to ensure everyone feels at home here. There are updates to the website to show how we are accessible, and we are making a movie from interviews conducted with BIC members to really show and highlight the vibrant and diverse congregation we have at the Synagogue.

We have adult education offering lectures, lunch and learns and soon will have adult hebrew classes., a very active Sisterhood and the Men’s Club has reformed and has a full calendar for next year.  Sunshine Club offers comfort and food to members that need support and we have the baggers who crochet blankets for those in the hospital offering comfort.

I tell you this so you’ll know the different programs being offered here and the different areas you can get involved.  The Synagogue is a great foundation for all of us living in southeastern NC and provides many things to do but it offers more than that.

BIC offers us a foundation, a place we know we belong and a source of strength and community.  In a changing world, having a home, a place that is familiar,  where everyone knows you, we can come together as Jews.  There are a lot of questions about the state of the world right now and with the rise of anti semitism, and threats to democracy here at the Synagogue we can find strength with each other. As Jews we view the state of the world differently than others with a dark history that we have emerged from strong.  This collective memory gives us a strength and a purpose for Tikkun Olam, to fix the world and be a part of making things better.  Jews have always been active in the Wilmington community and know the importance of helping others.  Being involved in the Synagogue and our community is what helps make us strong and gives us pride in knowing we are making things better for our community at large.

With the start of the high holidays we look forward to our traditions and services that will ground us and give us new purpose.  It is a time of reflection and it’s a time of new beginnings.  I hope you will join me in becoming involved in not only at our Synagogue but with our community and find the strength that comes with this.  I look forward to experiencing this meaningful time with you.  

Mark and I and the BIC Board wish you a happy healthy new year. May we all be inscribed in the book of life.

B'Shalom, 

Amy B. DeLoach