Courage Even When It’s Hard
The following was delivered by Jen Cheslock on Yom Kippur Morning, 12 October 2024 | 10 Tishrei 5785.
Good yontif!
For those I haven’t met yet, I’m Jen Cheslock, the Fundraising Chair on Hinenu’s Board.
On one of the most solemn days of our year, I’m here to remind us of our progress together in this community and the work we have yet to do. And, of course I’m going to ask you to share some additional time and treasure with us.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I was recounting a high holiday experience I had many years ago at a shul that shall not be named. I knew the sermon that day would just be spewing hate and vitriol. I walked out, waited for the sermon to be over and walked back in to davven. My family was furious. At the time, folks, including my parents, were spending hundreds or thousands to walk into that shul and listen to that sermon during the high holidays. I remember the people closest to me telling me essentially to “just go with the flow.” And if you know me at all, you know I am a bit of a control freak, I kept thinking: “only dead fish go with the flow.” So, ultimately, my natural resistance to authority kicked in, and I started walking out of all the sermons there.
Our theme this year is El Mai Ha-yeshu-ah “towards the waters of liberation.” Most people in this community have taken small acts of resistance like mine at one time or another. Some have participated in much larger acts of resistance. You all know, it takes a little courage to go against the flow.
In my experience, that is what Hinenu does: bind each other together with courage to do the right thing, even when it’s hard.
This past year has been heartwrenching. I have had to step back and despair at the sheer loss of life. While I hoped we’d be able to share a different message this year, we are still praying for a ceasefire.
That said, I am excited to be here today to be with all of you, Jews courageous enough to be here with us when much of the Jewish community shuns us.
I believe in a world where the waters of liberation flow abundantly around all of us. I want to offer gratitude for the work our community has done to that end–acts big and small add up.
You know I’m up here to talk about how we sustain Hinenu as a community in 5785 and beyond. Heading into 5785, we are moving towards those waters of liberation a bit faster. Many of you have heard that a few months ago, Hinenu received a transformative legacy gift of $1 Million from Barbara Roswell.
This gift is allowing us to envision a future where Hinenu is powered by multiple full-time staff to keep our growing organization running, strategically making some investments in our long-term financial sustainability, and ensuring the rabbi is able to rabbi more.
That won’t happen without your help.
If you weren’t at the June membership meeting and are interested, I’ve got about 20 slides that outline our way forward with the legacy gift and I’m happy to share those with you. The gist of the slides is that sustainable organizational growth takes time and the majority of the legacy gift will serve as our reserves. By which I mean: while this is a huge gift, we cannot sustain a growing synagogue on it without your support.
This gift is a tremendous investment in our future. My ask this year is that we honor Barbara’s gift by reflecting back the deep well of trust in and commitment to Hinenu and start matching her investment with our own.
Our high holiday goal is currently approximately $3,000 short. Are you able to make a gift to Hinenu of $100, $1,000, or $1 Million or an amount that is meaningful to you to power our work in 5785?
I’m asking each of you to make your first gift, make an extra gift to Hinenu, or increase an existing gift to help us power our work in 5785 and beyond. If you have never given to Hinenu before, please know that every gift matters. We need gifts large and small. If you already give, please consider increasing your gift. If you are someone who gives one-time gifts, consider making your gift monthly instead. Our monthly givers are our best indication of stable funds coming into Hinenu. AND If we have potential major donors here today, I’d OF COURSE love to discuss how you can support the work we are doing here.
Regardless of the size of the gift, I hope you contribute this year because one drop of water at a time can become an ocean and move us closer to the waters of liberation than ever before.
I know we have all come here to experience the sweetness of community in a place where our politics and Jewish values are celebrated and need not be in conflict.
I am going to ask each of you to be courageous and help others find their courage to walk with us towards the waters of liberation.
There is a QR code to donate or find us on hinenubaltimore.org/donate. I’ll be here after shul to chat if you have any questions.
Thank you for the time and treasure you share with this community.
May this year continue the incredible flows of support for this community—that these waters for justice can be a reflection of who we are—and who we want to be.