Dear friends,
I am not the definitive word on this, but I think we may have seen the last snowfall of the winter. This weekend marks the end of mud season, when we finally can hike mountain trails without damaging those fragile ecosystems. Yesterday, I followed my yearly tradition of being the first person up Hunger on the day the trails opened. Are you hiking this weekend? Swimming? Sunbathing? Where are you going to get outside?
With the change in weather, it seems we also are shifting to a new phase of dealing with the Covid-19 situation. While the initial reaction was one of hunkering down and managing day to day, we’re all now turning our energies towards longer-term planning, within our families, within our daily lives, and here at JCOGS. What does that mean?
Well, for one, we’re resuming fundraising. We have an upcoming event you cannot — under any circumstances — miss. This summer’s fundraiser, Laugh Your Tuchus Off, is going to be a community-building, fundraising, rolicking good time.
- Featuring the incomparable Joel Chasnoff and local comedians, tickets for this event are free. Register now so that you will get the link.
- We’re still doing an auction, but it doesn’t take much to realize we cannot ask local businesses to donate offerings right now. So, we’re asking each member of JCOGS: what are your talents? What can you offer as an auction item? Items can either be for use now, virtual, or for when it is safer to come together. Can you teach boxing? Or knit a blanket? Or guide a foraging expedition? Bake a pie? Create amazing art? Everyone at JCOGS has a talent that is of value to someone else. If we all offer our gifts and we all bid on each other’s items, we can come together to begin making up for lost fundraising. Email jcogs@jcogs.org or to volunteer your talent.
Longer-term planning is about sustainability on all levels. Beth and the teachers already are planning for the next year, knowing we’ll need to start virtually. Meanwhile, lay leaders and Rabbi David have laid out plans for how we can remain a strong center of Jewish life throughout the next year. Our board is budgeting on a quarterly basis and working to reduce expenses without reducing programing.
One area of particular concern to me is burnout for our lay leaders or staff. While it initially felt critical for me to communicate rapidly changing circumstances on a weekly basis, everything has settled just a bit. So that our office staff doesn’t have to prepare quite so many emails and doesn’t have to work on Sunday, I’ll be shifting to less frequent communications going out on Mondays.
On Sundays, I’ll see you on the mountains.
All my best,
Emily
JCOGS President
