After two long years, all the surviving hostages have finally returned home. Our hearts, however, still ache for those who did not. As an uneasy calm settles over Gaza, we now face a moment of profound uncertainty. What comes next—for Israel, for the U.S.–Israel relationship, and for Israel’s place on the global stage?

The fighting may have paused, but the world’s judgment has not. True healing and renewed legitimacy will require more than military quiet—it demands rebuilding what’s been broken. While the deeper analysis of Middle East dynamics lies beyond this message, it presents a rich opportunity for future adult education here at the Federation.

What I can say with conviction is this: as we look to the days ahead, we are reminded that we must continue to be voices of compassion and perseverance. Our enduring message—even after devastation—is that life continues. Faith continues. Joy, however fragile, returns.

The world is watching—not only what we say, but how we say it. In sharing our stories of heartbreak and healing, of courage and conviction, we help shape this moment. Our refusal to give up on hope gives us strength, and agency.

A Community of Strength

As we enter the New Year, I want to say this clearly: we need each other now more than ever. The Federation’s mission is simple but powerful—no Jew should feel alone.

In the wake of October 7, we’ve experienced:

• Unprecedented trauma

• A staggering rise in antisemitism

• Unfathomable media bias

• Deepening polarization

And yet, we have also witnessed moments that define and strengthen our community—right here in South Bend.

Together, through our five pillars, we are shaping the future of Jewish life:

• Security: In partnership with SCN, Safe Indiana, and local law enforcement, we create a protective umbrella so we can celebrate Jewish life safely and without fear.

• Advocacy: Through our Community Relations Committee, we amplify Jewish voices, engage in interfaith outreach, and advocate on critical issues like Israel, antisemitism, and Holocaust education.

• Engagement: We actively reach out to all segments of our Jewish community, especially young adults, offering meaningful ways to connect.

• Community: We share the richness of Jewish culture, tradition, and pride—not just within our community but with the broader public.

• Sustainability: We are committed to building long-term strength and resilience, ensuring Jewish life thrives locally and globally for generations.

It is because of your support that this work is possible. Your commitment fuels our mission and keeps us strong—as one.

The mystics teach that in every moment, the world is being created anew.
The first divine act was creation. And the invitation of Beresheit is this:
We, too, are called to be creators.

With patience, curiosity, and courage, we can break free from old patterns and write a new chapter—one that seeds a more hopeful and generative future.

May we draw strength from one another, find faith in our shared purpose,
and hold fast to hope in the promise of tomorrow.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley

Click here to pledge your support to our 2026 Annual Campaign

As we enter 5786, the Federation remains committed to ensuring that everyone can find meaning, connection, and belonging in our Jewish community. Through our programs, we aim to create opportunities to engage, support one another, and draw strength from our shared identity.

The beauty of Jewish life lies in our enduring traditions, collective values, and unwavering responsibility to one another. These bonds have sustained us through history’s most difficult chapters. And while today’s divisions may feel deep, our unity has always been deeper.

Now more than ever, the Federation and its partners have a civic responsibility to engage the broader Jewish community—and beyond—in the Jewish values of machloket l’shem shamayim (sacred disagreement) and elu v’elu (honoring multiple voices).

The Federation was built on a powerful idea: that by fostering communal leadership and connection, we can build stronger, more resilient communities. For over 80 years, our Federation has worked to nurture a caring, inclusive, and unified Jewish community grounded in our shared heritage.

As a pluralistic organization, we honor and embrace diversity across ethnicity, national origin, denomination, race, age, gender, identity, orientation, ability, and socioeconomic background.

Each of us carries a story shaped by our experiences and perspectives. These differences push us to listen, learn, and grow. They build empathy. They strengthen our collective resolve. And when we face adversity—as we inevitably do—it is our unity in diversity that helps us rise, again and again.

Let’s not fear our differences. Let’s celebrate them. Because in them, we find resilience. We find courage. We find each other.

In that spirit of unity—not uniformity—we’re proud to invite you to a special evening celebrating the release of Alba: Beyond Borders, a powerful and personal album by Israeli American pianist Dror Baitel and acclaimed Venezuelan American soprano Maria Brea. The evening will feature an intimate performance of works from the album.

Alba: Beyond Borders reminds us that music—like identity—knows no borders. It is a living testament to resilience, renewal, and shared humanity. Born from the recital Voces de Venezuela, first performed at Notre Dame in 2023 and recorded in 2024, this project blends the musical traditions of Latin America and the Jewish diaspora.

Sung in Spanish, Ladino, Yiddish, Galego, and Portuguese, the songs reflect universal themes—motherhood, faith, displacement, and the search for home. These stories, of both Latin American and Jewish communities, are a tribute to the historical connection between these two vibrant cultures that dates back over 500 years.

More than a recital, this album is a musical migration—an exploration of layered identities and shared histories. “Alba,” meaning “dawn” in Spanish, symbolizes renewal. And “Beyond Borders” speaks to the album’s heart: transcending divisions to find common ground.

Following the performance, we invite you to a special reception celebrating the album’s release on Thursday, October 9 at 6 PM at the University of Notre Dame’s LaBar Recital Hall. This event is free and open to the public.

Special thanks to the Kapson Cultural Arts Fund for supporting this program.

As the month of Elul ushers in the High Holidays, it invites us to pause — to reflect, to reconnect, and to recommit. This season of soul-searching naturally stirs deep personal reflection, and in this, my final year as your Federation Executive, I find myself looking not just back at the past year, but across the past five and a half years of a shared journey.

I remember my early days here in South Bend — Zoom calls during COVID with the past presidents of the Federation, my informal circle of wise counsel. Again and again, I heard a heartfelt yearning for a bold, unified vision for the future of Jewish life in our community. That call stayed with me. As a servant leader, I embraced it with humility and purpose.

We began by asking the hard questions: Where are we now? What do we need to sustain a vibrant, inclusive Jewish life for generations to come?

The answers were sobering. We recognized the Federation faced long-term sustainability challenges, as our primary donor base is composed of the shrinking congregations at Sinai and Temple. At the same time, our Orthodox community is blossoming with Torah study, growth at the Yeshiva, and new families moving to South Bend. A recent Yale study projects that the Orthodox population in the United States will double by 2063, rising from 12 percent of Jews today to 29 percent.

Facing demographic challenges and the blooming of Orthodoxy, the community building goal of the Federation continues to be deeply rooted in our mission to create something meaningful together — a space where Jewish life can flourish across spiritual, cultural, and intellectual dimensions.

From that vision grew the idea of a Campus for Jewish Life — a “big tent” rooted in Jewish values and open to all expressions of Jewish identity. Though the journey had its ups and downs, we held fast to the belief that together, we could build something transformative.

When Sinai and Temple began exploring their own collaborative path, we hoped to join forces. While they chose to move forward independently, the Federation remained ready — offering land, space, and support in service of a shared future.

In the end, the dream of a joint building with its potential for greater community synergies gave way to short-term individual plans. While that outcome was personally deeply disappointing, it doesn’t mark an end. It’s a reminder: long-term progress is rarely linear, and meaningful change takes time, trust, and tenacity.

So where do we go from here?

We move forward — with hope, with courage, and with clarity.

Every small step we take now is part of a longer arc of rebuilding and reimagining. Our next chapter calls for renewed collaboration, creative thinking, and steadfast commitment to the values that bind us as one people.

As I said in my last Minute with Moshe: Our strength lies in showing up — together. That’s how we build resilience. That’s how we create community. That’s how we ensure a future rooted in both heritage and hope.

Together, let us plant the seeds for what comes next.
Together, let us turn hope into action.

We are what we create next.

May the sound of the shofar awaken our hearts.
May we be inscribed for a year of health, meaning, and peace.

L'shana Tova Tikatevu,
Moshe Kruger

As I write this, we find ourselves at a moment of significant transition — in Jewish South Bend, in Israel, in the broader Middle East, and across the world. So much is shifting, and our local experience is no exception.

After nearly two years of dialogue and ten months of collaborative planning, the Sinai-Temple Task Force has made the difficult decision not to move forward with the shared building project. The reason: cost estimates exceeded the agreed-upon budget, and the project was deemed financially unfeasible.

While this news is disappointing, it also invites reflection. When a path closes, it can open the door to new opportunities — to reassess, to reimagine, and to move forward with renewed clarity and purpose.

One signpost for that path is the reality that American Judaism is in the midst of profound transformation. Across the country, the "liberal-egalitarian" segment of Jewish life is shifting toward a post-denominational era — shaped by evolving social, economic, and ideological forces.

As Rabbi Michael Strassfeld notes in Judaism Disrupted, the historic rise of denominations — Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist, Modern Orthodox — was a response to the challenges of modernity. Today, new challenges require new thinking. While this post-denominational shift may feel distant in South Bend, it is happening — and we would do well to engage it thoughtfully and strategically.

Even as we honor the sacred legacies of Sinai and Temple, our community continues to struggle to find common ground — not just in physical space, but in shared purpose and planning for the future. Building a sustainable, collaborative future will require honest conversations, mutual education, and a commitment to long-term thinking.

In keeping with the Federation’s historic role as a convener, I am committed to deepening our partnerships — fostering unity without demanding uniformity, and honoring the full spectrum of intellectual, spiritual, and personal needs within our community.

If there is will among us, let’s move forward with the lessons we’ve learned, fresh tools for problem-solving, and new approaches to building consensus.

Let’s use this moment as a catalyst to reimagine what vibrant Jewish life can look like — here, now, and for generations to come.

Our strength lies in showing up — together.

With respect and resolve,
Moshe Kruger,
Executive Director,
Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley
(574) 233-1164 x1802
Click here to email Moshe

Today, we celebrate not just our 80-year journey of building bridges and representing the Jewish community in communal affairs, but our shared successes including the architecturally award-winning Kurt & Tessye Simon Community Center – built on the grounds of our campus 25 years ago to fulfill our mission to strengthen Jewish life.

We honor the people and progress that define our legacy – and look forward to inspiring the next chapter together.

In reaching the milestone of our 2025 Annual Meeting, I want to take a moment to reflect on what the professional staff at the Federation has accomplished together this past year and to express my deepest gratitude to each one of them.

Bob, Dan, Judy, Louise, Nancy, Omer, Rabbi, and Steve, this year brought its own set of challenges and opportunities, and through it all, your dedication, resilience, and professionalism have stood out. It’s been a privilege to witness the way you each bring your talents, integrity, and heart to the work we do. Whether working behind the scenes or leading from the front, every contribution has mattered – and made a difference.

I am incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved individually and as a team. More than the goals we've hit and the projects we've completed, I’m grateful for the culture we've built. You’ve demonstrated time and again, great respect, collaboration, and mutual support. That’s what makes this team special.

I think I can speak on behalf of the team to say we’ve enjoyed having Temple in house this past year for Shabbat services and special programs. I think it’s also safe to say we’ve also been operating in a holding pattern as Sinai and Temple leadership continue to shape their plans for a shared, independent future.

Throughout history, Jewish leaders have played a vital role in framing the next great set of ideas. Here in South Bend, a small group—called the Sinai-Temple Joint Task Force—has been given a crucial assignment: to create a plan for co-locating into a shared facility on the Federation campus.

How Jewish life will evolve remains uncertain. While I’m not alone in thinking the progress of the Joint Task Force over the past year has been difficult to follow, I think we all agree, these important discussions are a prelude to setting a new vision for the future of Jewish life in South Bend.

Crafting a new vision must account for the challenges we face locally that mirror broader societal shifts in American Jewish life. Demographic changes, economic realities, new technologies, generational divides in identity and affiliation, and the evolving cultural, social, and political landscape all contribute to the planning complexity of community development.

How do we respond to the accelerating pace and scope of these challenges, especially in an era of dwindling resources and institutional downsizing—while also embracing new forms of engagement and innovative models that provide safe, meaningful spaces for Jews seeking connection?

To build on the progress of the Joint Task Force, one scenario is a confederation of sorts that brings Sinai, Temple, and the Federation closer together for the twin purpose of impact and sustainability.

Working as a collective and building a culture of trust are essential to a brighter future – less we remain stuck in outdated ways of framing and discussing the challenging issues before us.

We have the power to shift the narrative, crafting new stories and perspectives that resonate with our vision to reshape South Bend’s Jewish communal and institutional life.

What is certain is that the months and years ahead will test us: our convictions, our courage, and above all, our capacity for solidarity.

Eighty years of service. Hundreds of projects and thousands of lives touched. As we mark this incredible milestone, the Federation remains committed to doing what we’ve always done best: making a difference where it matters most.

As we move deeper into this new vision of kehillah–community–we believe a more open and transparent process is vital. If you’d like to learn more about community building and our shared future, I invite you to join us for the Federation’s Annual Meeting on June 5 at 7:00 PM.

Moshe Krug

Instead of an Annual Meeting, what if we called this annual ritual an Annual Community Celebration?

I’m thrilled to invite you to this year’s celebration hosted by the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley on Thursday, June 5. Please join us either in person or on Zoom to celebrate our thriving Jewish community.

This celebration is far more than just a formal event—it is one of our best tools to be a powerful catalyst for community building, empowerment, and amplifying mission impact.

When designed intentionally, it can strengthen relationships, inspire action, and multiply the reach and resonance of the Federation’s mission.

This is a wonderful opportunity to come together with friends and fellow community members to honor the Federation’s rich history and vibrant culture spanning 80 years. We have an evening of program updates, board elections, special award presentations, along with numerous achievements to be highlighted and strategic objectives to be laid out for the coming year, and we cannot wait to share it with you!

Event Details:

• Date: June 5

• Time: 7:00 PM

• Doors open at 6:30 PM

• Location: Jewish Federation

• Free Admission – Open to Everyone

This event promises a celebration full of joy, unity, and pride. Whether you’re new to the community, a lifelong resident, or simply want to be part of a gathering with a shared purpose to celebrate Jewish life, you won’t want to miss it! Register for free at TheJewishFed.org/Celebration.

Your participation creates the space for conversation, storytelling, and shared experiences, while legally fulfilling the requirement to hold an annual meeting to maintain our nonprofit status.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
574-233-1164 x1802
MKruger@TheJewishFed.org

Proposed Slate of Officers & Board of Directors for 2025-27

The Nominating Committee consisting of Ina Rosenberg (Chair / Past President), Cristyne Porile (Current President), Ilana Kirsch, Jay Brockman, & Jennifer Schwartz (Current Board Member) offers the following slate of nominees to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting of the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley on Thursday, June 5th at 7:00 PM.

OFFICERS:

• President: Cristyne Porile

• Vice President: Sarah Nerenberg

• Vice President: Sarah Feldbaum

• Treasurer: Mara Boettcher

• Secretary: Deena Abraham

TERMS ENDING 2026:

• Roni Aizigov

• Donna Ayres

• Jean Ketcham

• Megan New

• Jennifer Schwartz

• Aviva Wulfsohn

TERMS ENDING 2027:

• Phyllis DeVorkin

• Larry Piser

• Lily Shroyer

• Julie Wright

In every generation, the Pesach story invites us to revisit the past, present, and future. Rabbi, Dr. Ari Berman, President, Yeshiva University states, "At the heart of the Seder is the act of reframing. We take the bitterness of maror and contextualize it within the sweetness of redemption."

The week following Passover we commemorate the darkest and most terrible days of the Holocaust that unfolded more than 80 years ago. The Shoah's impact and legacy remain immediate, raw, and painful. In every generation we are compelled to bear witness to its horrors, and in every generation, we are compelled to raise our voices and proclaim, "Never Again."

The entire Jewish community and all people of goodwill are warmly invited to attend a special evening to commemorate Yom HaShoah. For this special remembrance, I'm thrilled the Federation was able to secure the South Bend Civic Theater (SBCT) for our Yom HaShoah Gulfshore Playhouse performance of Remember: The Story of Abe Price. The play retells the story of Abe Price, a Holocaust survivor and former South Bend resident.

The performance is free, but you must register in advance to secure your tickets. Click here to register on our website.

Exodus like the Shoah is not just a historical event, but a timeless lesson in resilience, hope, purpose, and growth.

Happy Passover. Wishing all a meaningful chag Pesach sameach.

And I look forward to seeing you at the South Bend Civic Theatre for Remember: The Story of Abe Price on April 24th.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director, Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley

One of the most distinctive aspects of our Jewish Federation is our stunning campus. It is a joy to drive up the S-curved Shalom Way, through the enchanted forest, passing the Barney Zoss memorial stone near the ballfield, and then onward toward the arching windows of Dinah and the twelve sons of Jacob in the award-winning Kurt & Tessye Simon Community Building.

Above all, as I travel around the campus, it is a joy to see our community in action. From the laughter of PJ Library youngsters on the lawn to Camp Ideal campers mastering blacksmithing in the pavilion, our community is always buzzing with activity. Children eagerly prepare challah loaves and other treats for our Shi’Shuk Friday Market in the summer months, while the loyal ladies of mahjong gather faithfully every Monday and Wednesday in the library.

Adults engage in Forever Learning and Jewish Family Service Lunch & Learn programs, and young professionals unwind at NEXTGen game nights. Our blessed volunteers distribute mishloach manot (Purim gift baskets) to JFS clients, and visitors from around our broader community enjoy our seasonal art exhibitions.

Families and community members come together for holiday events, the Yoms, and new activities and clubs sprouting up every month. We share moments of condolence at funerals and celebrations of life. And, of course, our Temple Beth-El family gathers for Shabbat services and other enriching activities in our community room.

In conversations with community members, I am struck by the profound connections forged over the years through their cherished experiences with what many call their “other” Jewish home. At times, the Campus is a quiet retreat, and at others a cacophony of activity. I like to think of the Campus as giving our community a warm hug.

These stories and treasured memories illustrate how places and people intertwine, shaping ourselves and the future of our Jewish community.

Yet, I can’t help but think our Campus for Jewish Life can be much more.

What if we envisioned the Campus to be integral to the vitality of a flourishing Jewish South Bend—encapsulated with opportunities to reimagine our institutions and rethink the idea of community.

When fully developed, the Campus enterprise will be an oasis of learning, prayer, and respectful exchange—an incubator for arts and ideas, and a space to celebrate, engage in Jewish life, and intertwine with the broader Jewish world.

In addition, this shared Campus offers potential streamlining efficiencies for staffing and business operations, which would have a positive effect on our collective financial health.

This is our space. We honor and thank our donors for their generosity that enabled the Federation to exist in this place. Today, our Jewish community has an opportunity to reinvest in the very spaces that have sustained and enriched our community since the first Jews settled in the area in the 1840s.

We have already taken important steps to revitalize our Campus with capital investments including a new roof, HVAC system, and universal kitchen. In addition, we’ve reclaimed our nature trails and sand volleyball court. We’ve secured record-breaking grant funding to enhance Holocaust education in our local schools and have successfully partnered with local businesses and community members to sponsor the 15th season of the Michiana Jewish Film Festival.

We are pleased to announce that Omer Karavani, our Israeli Emissary, will stay in his role for a third year. New platforms like “Voices of the Future” engage young adults in innovative and creative ways. All of these developments build upon one another to ensure our Campus remains a place where the community comes together to learn, play, live, and thrive for generations to come.

In my five years at the Fed, my worldview has remained the same. I am, and have always been, an optimist who believes even the most intractable problems can be solved when people work together with compassion and creativity.

What is markedly different this year for me is that the stakes are much higher for how we shape the future of Jewish life in South Bend.

I, along with a very dedicated Federation professional staff, wake up every day with a mission to fulfill—to build and sustain the Jewish community through the power of warm hugs and infinite possibilities—which are humbling, daunting, and incredibly exciting.

As I approach my last year of service at the Federation, I am profoundly grateful to be part of this remarkable community. Your support, whether through advocacy, engagement, or philanthropy, has been and will remain instrumental in preserving our beloved community. Thank you for being a steward of Jewish life, past, present, and future.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
574-233-1164 x1802
MKruger@TheJewishFed.org

This journey begins with our current mission. It reads:

The Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley is the central resource to embrace, connect, and support Jews locally and globally through social services, coordinated fundraising, community outreach, and educational and recreational programming.

This is a fine mission statement, but I think you’ll agree, it sounds a bit weary and fatigued and in need of a refresh.

With your permission, using my creative license as the Executive Director, I’m hitting the RERESH button to set the proper tone for this article.

A reinvigorated mission might read:

The Jewish Federation of Greater South Bend cares for those in need, strengthens Jewish life, and creates connections among Jews while acting locally, in Israel, and around the world.

Mission + Vision + Values = Strategic Priorities

Our mission-critical work has been all the more urgent since Oct 7. The war has not only caused turmoil in Israel, the Middle East, on university campuses, and communities across the U.S., it has also ignited an inferno of antisemitism that is deeply concerning.

Our Federation has confronted this issue with vigilance and proactivity, advocating against hatred and discrimination wherever it may arise. We remain steadfast in promoting education, awareness, and community engagement to combat antisemitism and ensure the safety and dignity of every Jew—and all people.

Despite these pressing challenges, our commitment to a thriving Jewish future for our community has never wavered. Baked into our Fed’s DNA is the sacred work of building community, leading change, and creating Jewish journeys to be our best selves.

Today, our community stands at a crossroads. There are many books written about vision and transformative change, but Proverbs 29:18 sums it up. “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” This proverb underscores the importance of having a clear and inspired vision.

Change helps us survive.
Judaism has thrived for millennia.
The People of the Book have never been static.

In 2020, as the new executive director, I communicated to a group of past Federation presidents that we were rapidly advancing toward a once-in-a generation opportunity—meaning we needed to re-energize our future with fresh solutions to build a sustainable foundation for Jewish life in South Bend.

Today, it is even more urgent to responsibly formulate an aspirational generational plan to shape our Jewish future. The Federation views the development of a comprehensive community plan as a critical act of self-determination as we move toward a Jewish experience whose value transcends denominational boundaries, ideological differences, and institutional walls.

Community planning at its best is a team effort

A fresh-solutions approach to community building starts with having the right goal. This requires listening to the voices in our Jewish ecosystem. During March, the Fed will be adding a new listening tool called Mondays with Moshe.

In listening to the community, it’s clear to me that the community’s aspirations remain fundamentally unchanged. People have a profound human desire for connection and meaning; and Judaism has much to teach us about ourselves and the world around us.

Eighty years after our Federation was founded in 1945, we’re at the inflection point of asking ourselves how we can ensure that the Jewish community of Greater South Bend continues to thrive. How can we build on our strengths to ensure a flourishing Jewish community for generations to come? How can we engage and develop our next generation of leaders? And how can we grow the resources required to be sustainable?

In answering these questions, three roadblocks loom large with the potential to stop the entire change effort. They are as follows:

1. Financial health of our communal institutions

2. Shrinking lay leadership pool

3. Fragmentation within the Jewish community

Next is a snapshot of each impediment to a brighter future.

Financial Sustainability

Over the last 10 years, the Fed’s annual campaign revenue has shrunk by 50%. This result is from significant donors having passed away, fewer contributors, and a new value-based paradigm of giving among the next generation. Our Federation is not unique. Like many Jewish communal organizations, what’s raised from the annual campaign, supplemental fundraising efforts, and membership dues do not cover operational expenses.

Fresh financial thinking for how we raise funds and generate new revenue streams is needed to leverage communal efficiencies and synergies (see graphic on page 2, Strategic Priorities 1, 3, & 4).

Diminishing Leadership Pool

Concerns were raised due to the same people cycling in and out of Jewish leadership. With our aging demographic, there is an expressed concern about these individuals losing steam or burning out, and the community being left without others to replace them. Transforming organizations and communities fail for several reasons, chief among them is lack of leadership and organizations resisting needed change.

Among the solutions to address the shortage of leaders in the pipeline is to explore new organizational leadership structures for community governance. Perhaps by becoming less siloed in our organizational leadership domains we could expand community voice representation, leverage intellectual resources, and nurture future leadership (see Strategic Priorities 1 & 2).

Fragmentation within the Jewish Community

Throughout our history, we have shown that if the Jewish people are fragmented, our strength is diminished, and our future is in doubt. If we are divided, it compromises the integrity of the community itself. Unity is only possible if we make space for each other. How best can we address this?

The historic role up to the present day is that the Federation’s role is the central convener of the community and the holder of responsibility to ensure the community thrives into the future. However, the underlying strength truly is the adaptive ability of our Jewish ecosystem to escape the past and invent the future.

To do this, each of us has a voice that must be heard in our ever-changing world. It’s not about our denominational differences or if you’re right, left, red, blue, or a fan of the current Israeli government (or not.) We have a common goal in the Greater South Bend Jewish community: to be a strong and prosperous community for all (see Strategic Priorities 1 & 4).

“Wouldn’t it be great if…?”

At the Federation we’re fond of asking the question “Wouldn’t it be great if…?” to escape from the tyranny of following the patterns we’ve grown comfortable with.

We are finding that developing productive thinking skills to generate more options and then evaluating those options, produces more exceptional, innovative, and satisfying outcomes to reimagine our future.

Examples of this type of generative thinking to build community are listed below:

Wouldn’t it be great to create a strong sense of place that:

• Fosters Jewish identity, belonging, and deep emotional connection?

• Encourages social interaction, philanthropy, and community service to strengthen the social and economic fabric of our community?

• Empowers collective action, improvement, and transformation?

• Enhances community resilience to better respond to challenges including antisemitism and security threats?

• Builds trust, shared values, and mutual respect?

• Promotes a feeling that people are contributing to something bigger than themselves and that their actions can directly influence the well-being of their environment and community.

Now you try it, please complete the sentence: Wouldn’t it be great if—and email or call me to discuss your response, or even better, come to a March Monday with Moshe.

This much I know, cultivating this sense of place is not incidental but intentional, rooted in thoughtful design, purposeful planning, and listening carefully to your voices. Establishing a sense of place may be our best opportunity to sway hearts and minds, turn vision into action, empower us to create lasting change, and advance our community mission inspired by the Jewish values of:

• K’lal Yisarel—the unity of all Jewish People

• Tzedakah—responsibility to help those in need

• Kehillah—accomplishing more by working together

• Chessed—a caring community

Because our future must not only be imagined…it must be built. Please make your voice heard and attend one of Monday’s brown bag lunches in March. The future of our Jewish community where individuals and families come together to learn, grow, and find joy and meaning in living Jewishly depends on it.

Abraham Lincoln said,

“Public sentiment is everything.
With public sentiment, nothing can fail; without it nothing can succeed.”

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
574-233-1164 x1802
MKruger@TheJewishFed.org

I’m inviting “fans” of the Jewish Community of Greater South Bend to bring your own lunch on the first four Mondays in March as we imagine the future of our Jewish community. That’s the purpose of March Mondays with Moshe—to generate as many ideas as possible to pull us into the future.

What will propel us into the future? I think a slice of that answer is our collective ability to imagine our sense of place in Jewish South Bend – where we can present our authentic, imperfect selves with meaning and purpose, belonging and blessing.

Your Fed Team has been busy thinking about our Jewish future as a sense of place with a unique collection of qualities and characteristics – visual, cultural, social, spiritual, and environmental that transforms mere locations into something much more meaningful.

The only way we can move into the future is by bringing together the best of our collective ideas. Mondays with Moshe opens a dialogue to that process and it is a part of a much larger vision. Below I’ve included a brief breakdown of this bigger plan titled “A Journey to the Promised Land.” I go over some of the most important highlights from this plan as well as some of the obstacles that we are encountering along the way.

With so much at stake, we hope to see you at our “Big Dance” over the coming weeks. No need to RSVP. Just bring a brown bag lunch. We’ll meet from 12-1 PM for my version of March Madness in the Federation’s conference room on March 3, 10, 17, and 24.

We get that it’s confusing. The Jewish Federation plays so many roles in our local and global Jewish community that it’s easy to lose track of all we do.

Let’s start with why we’re here. Our mission is actually very simple: We take care of the needs of the Jewish people and build a vibrant Jewish future for all, in Greater South Bend, Israel and around the world.

In other words, we make sure that help is available to those that require it. We also work to keep our community connected and unified, and to keep our Jewish values, culture, and traditions strong, today and for the future.

But how do we accomplish our mission? To help clarify, here are nine things we do (and one we don’t):

• We raise money through our Annual Campaign to support the Jewish community of Greater South Bend, the people of Israel, and Jewish communities around the world. We launch emergency fundraising campaigns, when necessary, during times of crisis. We also raise long-term resources through our professionally managed Endowment Fund to ensure the welfare of Jewish South Bend for future generations.

• We distribute the funds raised to our annual operating budget, which serves as the heartbeat of the Federation. The budget entails the essential resources to support social welfare, Jewish life, education, and other core areas including Jewish Family Services (JFS), Community Relations Committee (CRC), Camp Ideal, Holocaust Education, and the Israel Desk through our overseas allocation to Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and our Partnership2Gether (P2G) Western Galilee region.

• We plan for the near and long-term welfare of the community, assessing changes in current and future needs, community demographics, economic trends and other factors. This year has been dubbed Vision 2025 as we continue to engage in a rigorous planning process that informs how we can best use community resources to ensure the welfare and sustainability of the community.

• We strengthen Jewish life by offering a wide variety of art, culture, educational, and Israel advocacy programs and events, including those for young adults (NEXTGen) who will carry the Jewish torch into the future. Our upcoming Taste of Chugim (activities & clubs) is designed to engage as many Jewish individuals in our community as possible with more affinity group opportunities. This includes many who are otherwise uninvolved in Jewish life.

• We support Israel and its people, forging lasting connections between Jewish South Bend and Israelis by building a strong and active relationship with our partnership community in the Western Galilee region.

• We help Jews in need around the world. Working closely with Jewish Federations of North America, we support critical rescue, relief and, when necessary, relocation services to vulnerable and at-risk Jewish populations wherever they may be. We respond to crises locally or globally as they emerge, whether it is a flood, a pandemic, a war in Ukraine, or an attack against the Israeli people. Federation takes the leading role in the communal response.

• We advocate for the Jewish people in the media and public square, building positive relationships with other groups in the broader community through our Community Relations Committee (CRC). With our shaliach program, Omer Karavani works to present a positive image of Israel to the wider community. And through our extensive Holocaust education programs in local schools, we work to prevent Antisemitism and eliminate all forms of hate and intolerance.

• We keep the community safe, working closely with Secure Community Network (SCN), Safe Indiana, and local law enforcement to ensure the security of our community and institutions. This includes our congregations, day school, camps, and the Federation campus.

• We bring the community together, acting as a central convener for the Jewish community of South Bend to celebrate, commemorate or observe events and milestones in our shared Jewish experience.

In addition to that list, there is one thing we absolutely do not do as an organization:

• We don’t advocate for any political party or participate in partisan politics in any way, locally, nationally, in Israel, or anywhere in the world. We remain an apolitical organization focused on the welfare of the Jewish people.

As you can see, we do a lot to realize our mission. And while we certainly don’t do everything in our community, if you need help or information about something we don’t handle, we can help you find someone who does. Please call us, we will be happy to have a conversation with you.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
mkruger@thejewishfed.org
(574) 233-1164 x1802

From Midrash Rabbah of Song of Songs 1:4

When the Israelites stood at Mt. Sinai waiting to receive the Torah, God asked them: “Who will be our guarantors that you will keep it and then I will give it to you.”

They replied: “Our ancestors will be our guarantors.”

God replied: “I find fault with Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Find me good guarantors.”

The people replied: “The prophets will be our guarantors.”

God replied: “I find fault with the prophets.”

The Israelites said: “Our children will be our guarantors.”

God replied: “Truly, these are good guarantors. I will give you the Torah.”

This month’s column is dedicated to our Young Adults and their children, who will craft an aspirational vision of Jewish life in South Bend.

Now, as the planning for the future of the South Bend Jewish community begins in earnest, we need to hear from our young people more than ever. Communal change is inevitable in today’s American Jewish landscape. But change doesn’t just happen to us—it’s something we can shape L’dor V’dor—from one generation to the next.

Young, old, or in between, we all have a special role to play in building community. Common wisdom says that it takes a village to achieve community well-being. The village concept speaks to our “all in” collective responsibility. However, as the profound truth in the Song of Songs elucidates, the “guarantors” and innovators of Jewish life cannot be from the past or even the present. Judaism can only be guaranteed by the next generation.

Our young people will proudly carry the Jewish torch into the future. To ensure this flame that represents our future stays ablaze, the Federation is committed to supporting a variety of opportunities to engage in conversation with our young adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. The centerpiece of this Young Adult initiative is a Forum Series titled: Voices for the Future (working program name). The program aims to:

Connect with young adults to understand which Jewish experiences they are seeking as the community creates new and different spaces for Jewish engagement

Empower them to reimagine our community as alive, dynamic, evolving and in conversation with the contemporary world; and

Strengthen their relationship to Jewish life in South Bend by making their voices heard in the planning and decision-making process

I’m proud that our Federation is at the forefront of this conversation with our young adults. We’re cognizant of this engagement needing to be implemented on their terms and in ways that make sense for their lives. The most powerful way to deepen Jewish engagement in the broadest and most textured way is to connect the past to the present, and the present to the future.

The Past

Throughout the first one hundred years of Federation service to American Jewry, change has been the hallmark of our organizational strength and continuity. With over a century-long legacy of diverse Jewish life in Michiana, our South Bend Federation has been the prominent voice in the region for everything Jewish over the last 80 years. Let us build on this strength.

The Present

Understanding where we are now is a prerequisite for developing a roadmap for tomorrow. Getting a firmer grip on the national and local data points relative to Jewish communal life is also vital to our planning and decision-making.

For example, Pew Research shows the American Jewish “liberal” population (Conservative and Reform), like other religious groups, is in flux with denominational affiliation waning. Yet, paradoxically and increasingly, many Jews in America want to identify Jewishly and desire Judaism in some form to serve that identity.

Locally, we share elevated concerns over decreasing institutional financial resources, declining memberships, and a shrinking leadership pool needed to sustain and support our community.

Jewish community leaders tracking this data see these national and local developments as inextricably intertwined and mutually reinforcing. From our various perches, on a more personal level, we’re all eyewitnesses to the tectonic changes in our evolving relationship to Jewish tradition, ritual, and ancient past.

The Future

Looking ahead to our next 80 years, what game plan and core principles are needed to continue the sacred work of creation? How do we engage with our magical inheritance in a concrete, meaningful, and joyful way to fulfill our need for connection—to our past, to our present, to each other, and to community?

The consensus view is that new organizational models in the modern era are essential to respond to the profound challenges facing Jewish communities of all sizes. The viewpoint I wish to articulate is—if we want to achieve the desirable bigger, bolder, and sustainable community outcomes, this requires more than tinkering around the edges.

Our moment for change is here, and we have a fiduciary responsibility to be clear-eyed about our future. Flashing warning lights alert us that we could well experience an irreparable setback if we fail to optimize all of our organizational synergies and resources.

Finding our collaborative groove among our communal organizations is within our grasp. Perhaps more arduous is refreshing the outdated modes, especially for young people, to connect Jewishly as the central existential threat to Jewish life.

The point of this article is yes, we need to work together, but we also must ensure that young people stay meaningfully engaged by building a sense of attachment to home and to their Jewish community. In other words, “place matters;” and this idea needs to be integral to our community vision.

Fundamentally, there are multiple sub-cohorts within the younger adult demographic and broader Jewish population, each making its own choices based on its own specific needs and interests. How we each choose to engage Jewishly speaks to my many “blue sky” conversations with community members about South Bend’s Jewish future and a concept called the “Campus for Jewish Life.”

The Campus enterprise rests on the foundation of three core priorities: to build community, to engage and connect, and to provide a safe oasis to be Jewish.

No matter what your background or experience, the heart and soul of the Campus model is to find inspiration and meaning in your Jewish journey.

The varied and innovative programming provide an à la carte menu of:

• Jewish learning

• Jewish arts & culture

• Jewish social action to improve our community and the world

• Jewish holiday celebrations and community gatherings

• Jewish spirituality and well-being

Try this visualization exercise. Close your eyes and imagine the South Bend Campus for Jewish Life as a major development for the Jewish community. Visualize how the Campus offerings contribute to the revitalization of Jewish South Bend. Picture yourself on the 28-acre campus property, our greatest asset, past, present, and future—the central hub for Jewish life—providing space for a variety of programs and organizations, room to meet and convene, and a safe and nurturing space for our community to learn, celebrate, and connect.

Research findings demonstrate how spatial dimensions impact human behavior. Studies show it’s important to be attentive to the many aesthetic and functional factors when designing spaces for learning, playing, praying, working, and socializing. With our park-like setting, we have an exciting opportunity to develop the Campus landscape in a way to create balance, harmony, beauty, and purpose.

In conclusion, a comprehensive Campus plan that is intentionally designed, inclusive ideologically and religiously, rooted in tradition, yet innovative in practice will strengthen our community, make it more resilient, and drive lasting positive changes. A place where we all belong.

It’s time to shift our paradigm. It’s time to shift the shape of Jewish engagement in South Bend. This is why this Minute with Moshe is dedicated to our “truly good guarantors,” our young people.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley
mkruger@thejewishfed.org

Today, two days before Thanksgiving, as I write this edition of Minute with Moshe, Israel approved a U.S. brokered ceasefire with Hezbollah, aiming to end more than a year of active conflict along its northern border with Lebanon. While the outcomes of this ceasefire in the North are unknown, what is clear is the events of the past year have been incredibly challenging and mentally exhausting for the Jewish people.

We’ve faced the horror of the NOVA massacre, the abduction of Israeli hostages, the ongoing war in Israel, conflicts on college campuses, and a sharp rise in antisemitism. Yet, even in the face of such hardships, we have found reasons to be hopeful.

In Judaism, “hope” (represented by the Hebrew word “tikvah”) is considered a central value, signifying the belief that even in the face of adversity, one can actively work to create a better future and never lose faith in the potential for positive change. Tikvah is seared into every aspect of Jewish identity and resilience throughout history; it’s not just passive optimism, but a commitment to action to improve the world around us.

Our hopes and tears during this turbulent year of crisis has sparked a remarkable resurgence in Jewish identity and communal participation. A recent study from the Jewish Federations of North America reveals Jews are rediscovering their commitment to their identity and are seeking ways to connect more deeply. Across every facet of American Jewish life—synagogues, JCCs, schools, Federations, and camps – there’s been a surge of engagement.

Astonishingly, of the 83% of Jews who were only “somewhat,” not very,” or “not at all engaged” in Jewish life before October 7, nearly 40% are now participating more actively. This group represents about 30% of all Jewish adults—roughly double the proportion of those who previously considered themselves “deeply engaged.”

This renewed interest begs the question of how we leverage this moment to embrace our Jewish identity and lead a renaissance of Jewish pride and determination. Jewish communal leaders are filled with tremendous hope to parlay this renewed engagement into solving critical Jewish priorities, such as:

• Securing the future of the Jewish people and creating vibrant local communities

• Developing meaningful content-rich programs to enrich our communities and strengthen Israel; and

• Ensuring the next generation carries forward Jewish life and its expanding tapestry of experiences, ideas, and traditions

Like the world’s Jewish community, South Bend is a mosaic of Jews representing various backgrounds, beliefs, and identities. We may hold differing views about Israel, its government, politics, and the ongoing crises, but the connection to Israel profoundly impacts our Jewish identity as the JFNA engagement survey suggests.

With this in mind, your local Fed is curious to know how this surge in engagement playing out in cities across America is unfolding in our community.

Post October 7 are you:

• Participating more actively in Jewish life? And if so, how are you engaging?

• Finding meaning, spirituality, and a deeper connection to a larger purpose than yourself?

• Finding what you are looking for? If not, what are you seeking in terms of connection?

With these questions in mind, please take our short online survey to help us better understand this moment of engagement—our tikvah.

Community Challenges & Opportunities in South Bend

From Israel experiencing the most catastrophic and traumatic year since it was founded; to the entire global Jewish community being hit by a tsunami-size wave of antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment; to the growing number of South Bend community members taking stock of the most consequential issues facing our Jewish community’s future, your Federation is here to advance an inclusive, engaged, and equitable South Bend community through a values-driven mission.

The coming months will have exceptional significance for us—as we determine the path forward for our Jewish community. In navigating our future, let’s embrace dialogue with an open mind, grace, and sensitivity knowing that we may have differing views on a given issue, often with deep-rooted passion and commitment.

What’s at stake is nothing less than our future—and it is this precious jewel that gives me the confidence that each of us will show remarkable courage, resilience, and determination in our community planning conversations.

In 1899, Mark Twain penned a famous essay entitled “Concerning the Jews.” Twain wrote:

“The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished. The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret of his immortality?”

Dear readers, with 5,000 years under our belt, what do you think our Jewish secret is? I’m interested in publishing an anthology of your answers—a curated collection of enduring words of wisdom. Perhaps this compendium could be our collective birthday gift to the Federation as it celebrates its 80th anniversary in 2025. To get this project started, you’re invited to share your “Enduring Words of Wisdom” by email me at mkruger@thejewishfed.org.

What do I think our secret sauce is?

Let me respond in three words:
Unity without Uniformity.

This term resonates with me—it is a passionate idea that moves me greatly. This concept gives us the ability to create an expansive pluralistic community—one that welcomes all expressions of Jewish life. The depth and breadth of this one discerning community objective makes it foundational to our entire community-building effort.

You may have heard me say before, that at the core of our community-building effort is the creation of a Campus for Jewish life where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The vision for this Campus includes a welcoming, spirited, and collaborative “synagogue village” that reflects Sinai’s and Temple’s blueprint for a reimagined future that is inclusive, non-judgmental, and warmly welcomes all Jews regardless of their affiliation wishing to observe, learn, and enjoy Judaism regardless of background or personal level of observance.

But it can be much more…when fully developed, the Campus enterprise, our village, will be an oasis of learning, prayer, and respectful exchange—but also an incubator for arts and ideas—a space to celebrate, engage in Jewish life, and intertwine with the broader Jewish world.

Unity without Uniformity is our sacred challenge to make Jewish life meaningful, relevant, and joyful for today and to empower and inspire the next generation to see their identity as something they cannot imagine living without.

At this critical moment, we have an incredible opportunity. This is the most difficult period we’ve faced in decades, yet it offers us the chance to broaden the reach of our community, provide profound meaning to so many, and not merely return to “normal.” Maintaining the status quo is not the best strategy for our future success.

At the risk of being misunderstood, we need an injection of new thinking in our comprehensive strategic planning effort. How we as a community respond now has the potential to shape the Jewish future for generations to come.

Let us rise to this moment.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
574-233-1164 x1802
MKruger@TheJewishFed.org

We Are Stronger Together

With the end of 2024 just a few weeks away, now is the time to consider some tax-wise charitable giving strategies.

It’s not too late to make an impactful donation that benefits our Jewish community now and for years to come. There are many tax-smart ways to do so before year-end including:

• Gifts of appreciated assets (stocks) to receive a tax deduction for the full fair market value of the assets while avoiding paying capital gains tax

• Creating or adding to a Donor-Advised Fund, which is like a philanthropic checking account to manage your charitable giving now and over time

• Utilizing the IRA Charitable Rollover if you are 70 1/2 or older to transfer up to $105,000 to Federation tax-free

• Donating appreciated real estate to avoid capital gains tax on the sale and receive a charitable income tax deduction

To discuss these and other charitable giving strategies, please contact Moshe Kruger, Jewish Federation Executive Director, at (574) 233-1164 x1802 or email mkruger@thejewishfed.org, or consult your tax and financial advisors.

The High Holidays, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah have all come and gone. The new year begins as does a new cycle of Torah. The opening chapters of the Book of Genesis tell the story of the world’s creation. The first word in the Torah is Bereshit—meaning, “In the beginning.”

Bereshit—the promise of a new beginning—speaks directly to all of us in so many ways and on so many levels. Because the Federation is in the community building business, Bereshit holds special significance as it relates to new beginnings that will shape Jewish organizational life in South Bend.

It’s our good fortune to have this extraordinary opportunity to embark on a fresh start as a Jewish community. Specifically, Sinai and Temple continue to have candid discussions about a new collaborative future. And while many details need to be worked out in their relationship, I do believe an extraordinary new beginning is underway.

Applying a fresh start approach to reimagine the future helps us see and think bigger. Understanding that change is the only constant in planning our future, we can find practical value and inspiration in looking at our community as one ecosystem and not just its parts.

Many small Jewish communities across the country are facing declining congregational membership and consequential financial challenges. As a result, affected communities and their leaders need to determine whether to grow and emerge anew or fade, tap into the energy of the younger generation or squander resources and stagnate.

Locally at home, with short and long-term risks notwithstanding, we’re discovering interdependence trumps independence and that a consensus-like mindset can inspire hope, optimism, and excitement for what’s to come.

Consensus building by definition is a process involving multiple parties working together to reach an agreement that everyone can support. Here in South Bend, how we develop and execute our community plan is our collective story to tell and this is the focus of this edition of Minute with Moshe.

If I’ve learned anything in my career, it’s that storytelling is an essential human activity—we think in metaphors and learn through stories. Stories evoke an emotional connection, have the power to drive change and ignite people to take action.

Perhaps we know this better than anyone; after all, we are the People of the Book! Jewish storytelling is central to our fundamental nature and a major part of the Jewish oral tradition. We tell stories to share Jewish values and pass down our cultural and religious heritage.

Jewish literature is full of stories—some sacred from our rabbinic tradition, some funny stemming from the conditions of Jewish life or from the experience of the Jewish people. On Passover, Jews gather around their Seder tables and tell the story of our exodus from Egypt.

Our stories help to contextualize where we have come from, where we are today, and where we are going. Through this temporal lens, our Jewish journey “teaches us to number our days—that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalms 90:12)

In 2025, the Federation will number its days with an 80th anniversary. Over the past eight decades, our Federation story has undergone a profound and positive transformation. We’ve grown from being a philanthropic organization—raising and distributing funds—to providing a vast array of programs and services to meet specific needs and goals.

I believe the community for the most part shares our pride in enriching the community through music, art, education, and culture. And I think this is true too in our ongoing efforts to create a beautiful space on our Federation campus for all to enjoy—from our park-like environment with its forested trails to our playground and pavilion.

And now as we contemplate the next chapter of our Jewish future, at the risk of oversimplifying the current state of our local Jewish community—we see our South Bend Orthodox community continuing to be ascendant as a percentage of the overall Jewish population, while Sinai and Temple have captured our attention recently by reimagining a shared-space future possibly on the campus of the Federation.

These collaborative developments to effectively share resources within the “partnership” should only bode well for our community. One promising outcome to explore is the creation of a Campus for Jewish Life—a welcoming place to gather, connect with each other, and engage in Jewish life that is accessible to all.

The clustering-type synergies with its compounding capacity generated by the Campus model offer tangible economic and programmatic benefits. Moreover, this reimagined space would be deeply rooted in our guiding principles of respect, connectivity, and inclusiveness.

Recognizing the health and welfare of our community depends on steady and purposeful leadership, I’ll close by saying the future is now in its most creative state. I hope you’ll agree, it’s in our power through bold thinking and cross-pollination of ideas to make Jewish life vibrant, accessible, and secure in South Bend, Israel, and around the world.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley

L’Dor V’Dor—From Generation to Generation

The genesis of the South Bend Jewish community began in the late 1840s and 1850s when Jewish people settled in the area. The first congregation was established in 1887. Since our auspicious beginning, the arc of our communal life has been L’dor V’dor—from one generation to the next. Each generation on a quest to find Jewish meaning in America, personal growth, and fulfillment.

Check out the Michiana Jewish Historical Society at MichianaJewish.org/History for a superb sampling of stories about our local Jewish history

Here, you’ll find stories documenting the story of Jewish life in Michiana. In reading these stories it became quickly apparent to me that our grand narrative of Jewish peoplehood is also a local narrative of personal stories of family and self.

As I sat down to write this Minute with Moshe for the October issue, news of the once-mighty kitchenware company, Tupperware, whose name became synonymous with plastic food containers in kitchens across America, filed for bankruptcy. The company said in its Chapter 11 filing that it failed to develop a strategy for the future. That the “strengths of its founding model turned into its weakness.”

In essence, Tupperware’s woes were a failure to act. Clinging to what we know to preserve the status quo is a major obstacle to change. As the Tupperware experience points out, our mind consistently chooses to follow well-worn patterns rather than generate new thoughts, new interpretations, or new ways of doing things.

In this article, as we approach Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, I’d like to provide a commentary on the importance of taking a more proactive approach afforded us by the idea of t’shuva.

T’shuva requires us to return home, to draw closer to ourselves, to each other, and to Hashem as our essential sources of strength. Judaism teaches us to think about our individual and collective journeys. Jewish history tells the story of our communal destiny that is bound up in this two-pronged odyssey. A symbiotic relationship between personhood and peoplehood that has connected Jews from one generation to the next.

What makes us human, according to Jewish teachings, is the strength and quality of our relationships. And with all the insanity in the world since October 7, we need one another now more than ever.

The wisdom of our tradition offers a unique time-limited window during the High Holidays to be mindful about the fundamental transformation of self and community during the coming year. T’shuva is our personal and collective affirmation to focus on a deeper and more concentrated resolve to change.

Change is in our grasp! We all have an opportunity during this holiday season to embrace the annual rite of “return”—to renew, refresh, and reaffirm the vision of our possibilities of what we could be—individually and together in community.

You’ve heard me say that to create the future, you have to be able to imagine it. It’s a disciplined approach to thinking more creatively and more effectively. And I believe t’shuva will amplify the clarion call of the shofar and will be our best antidote for not becoming a Tupperware-like casualty.

I have the great privilege to be working with a terrific Federation team and many like-minded people toward a greater vision—a vision to strengthen our community—that has meaning for our children, ourselves, and the next generation.

We are a people of action; we don’t have the luxury of giving in to the status quo. There are so many ways in which we can team up to create a community trajectory driven by a shared purpose, Jewish imagination, and mutual concern.

On the occasion of the New Year, I’d like to take this time-honored tradition to bless us all with the ability to come closer to ourselves and to each other. With the hope and promise of 5785, may we attune our inner compass to the energizing springs of life that are hidden within all of us.

Shana tova.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director, Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley
(574) 233-1164 x1802
MKruger@TheJewishFed.org

Karen and I live steps away from magnificent Lake Michigan. Our mid-century house nestled into a dune offers me the perfect counterbalance to the demands of my professional life.

The sunsets are spectacular and on a clear day you can see the Chicago skyline. And the full moon over the lake is a sight to behold with its extraordinary celestial vibe.

Speaking of the moon, did anyone see the exquisite Super Blue Moon in August?

“Once in a Blue Moon” means something is rare. Blue Moons happen once every two or three years. This term refers to the second full moon occurring within a single calendar month.

A Super Blue Moon is a special astronomical event that combines two distinct phenomena: a “blue moon” and a “supermoon.” A supermoon happens when a full moon coincides with the moon’s closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit, called “perigee.” As a result, the moon appears larger and brighter in the sky than usual, making it an extraordinary event for skywatchers.

The Jewish tradition does not have a specific view on astronomical events like the Super Blue Moon. However, Judaism often sees celestial events as signs of G-d’s grandeur and power. Some Jewish texts and teachings emphasize the importance of reflecting on natural phenomena to connect with the divine and understand the world better.

When I step out of the office and into nature it fills me with a positive spiritual energy. With sensory receptors fully engaged and with a sense of wonder, I find it easier and more natural to speak freely with Hashem. I look forward to these talks as they often reveal a deeper truth to understanding my place and purpose in the universe.

High Holiday alert

Check your calendars; when the next full moon appears, there will be approximately 3 weeks until the High Holidays. Rosh Hashanah denotes the start of the Days of Awe, the 10 days from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur. These days are used for introspection and reflection on the past year and the changes and aspirations we will work toward in the coming year. The way Rabbi Yossi Sapirman, founder of Living Jewishly frames it, this is the time we come together with a sense of urgency to understand “what pushes and pulls, what ebbs and flows, what comes and goes, and what leaves or stays.”

As we take stock of our actions, let us as a community choose well in the new year 5785. As Rabbi Yossi shares:

“We must remember to forgive, even if we don’t forget, to be magnanimous even if it is not reciprocated, to choose resolve rather than despair, to find joy in empathy, and to link ourselves back to a 3,000-year history of an unwavering commitment to choosing the hard but good path.”

New shades of possibility

What is this good path? The good path is the path forward. Together, we can create something beautiful, imperfect as it may be, compared to nature’s divine masterpiece. Nonetheless, it is in our power to become a community through which sacred imagination and creativity flow. That is, to be the place of all new shades of possibility.

In hearing the call of the shofar this Rosh Hashanah, let us also be mindful of the invisible connections between the most particular, granular parts of our daily lives and their heavenly roots above. In connecting the dots this way, we honor each other in our co-creation of community and partnership with something larger than ourselves.

May we all be inscribed in the book of long life!

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
(574) 233-1164 x1802
mkruger@thejewishfed.org

The meeting tagline—Connecting from the Heart—deeply resonated with all conference participants. The tagline spoke volumes about the spirit of Jewish peoplehood on display in Austin. I was honored to be counted among this distinguished group of professional and lay leaders tasked with building meaningful relationships through creative programs and activities with our Jewish family in Israel, Budapest, and 17 communities in the U.S.

Our Federation champions Partnership and its global Jewish peoplehood mission through curated Jewish experiences. In the coming year, I believe collectively and individually, we can and must do more in this Partnership space. I realize being in a relationship with Israel is complicated given its current state of affairs. It’s fair to say, that the Jewish diaspora has a complex relationship with Israel and the region—the birthplace of the Jewish people, where our national, religious, and spiritual identity was formed—and this connection has given rise to a powerful yet intangible idea of Jewish Peoplehood that binds Jews together no matter where we live or how we practice.

2025 P2G Summit

For those in the community wanting to connect or reconnect personally with our beautiful Partnership region in Western Galilee, take note of this extraordinary opportunity. To celebrate Partnership’s 25th anniversary, a heavily subsidized mission to Israel is planned for February 25-28, 2025.

The outbreak of the Gaza War made it necessary to reschedule the planned quarter-century birthday party last November. The Israel Summit in February will celebrate over 25 years of Partnership2Gether Western Galilee and much more. We’ll meet the heroes of resilience and hear stories from business owners, defense experts, and evacuated Israelis. We’ll volunteer with members of our consortium, work side-by-side with residents, and learn about new initiatives in Western Galilee. If you’re interested in learning more about the Summit, please call me at 574-233-1164.

Being in Austin also gave me pause to contemplate our Jewish future in South Bend. Austin has witnessed a transformative change in their Jewish community. In the 1980s the Jewish population was around 4,000. Today, the population is approximately 40,000—a 900% increase.

How did Jewish Austin accelerate their growth? What were the drivers that brought people to the region? What was it that mattered most to this flourishing community?

Now that I’m back home in South Bend, I cannot stop thinking about these questions and the Austin experience. The Austin story could be an instructive and inspiring FED Talk that speaks directly to our vision, passion, and values toward building a sustainable Jewish future.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, our future is only limited by our imagination. We can be whoever we want to be. This is why I’m optimistic about the current conversations we’re having in our community. I can’t help but think this is our best opportunity to inspire Jewish journeys that lead to more engagement of community members of every age and stage.

Annual Campaign

Each of our Jewish community organizations depends on our financial contributions, volunteer efforts, and collaborative initiatives. The ability to support our communal institutions is inextricably linked to the overall well-being of the community. So, with this in mind, let’s talk about the annual campaign which is our primary vehicle to raise funds in support of the Federation’s mission. Our 2023–24 fundraising efforts are winding down and preparations are being made in earnest for the 2024-25 campaign, under the theme of:

On behalf of the Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley and the hard-working campaign committee, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your generous contributions. Your support plays a vital role for the Federation to be the central resource to embrace, connect, and support Jews locally and globally through our values of Kehillah (our community), Chesed (kindness & compassion), and Tikkun Olam (tzedakah, social justice, education).

If you have not made your pledge there is still time, but we must receive your pledge before August 31 as our new fiscal year starts on September 1. All 2023-24 pledge payments are due before December 31.

I look forward to updating you on how your gift makes a difference in our community. If you have any questions or would like more information about our work, please do not hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your generosity. Together, we are building a stronger, more vibrant community.

A Bit of Trivia

Now for a trivia question: What initiative over the last 71 years has continued to strengthen our community? Of course, I’m speaking about Camp Ideal. We are exceedingly proud of our Jewish heritage and the 71-year-old legacy of Camp Ideal, as well as our brand extension of Gan Ideal, our new Pre-K pilot summer day camp program.

We are part of a Jewish camp movement in American life with a tradition grounded in strengthening Jewish identity, pluralism, and caring for the needs of every individual. Bringing Jewish values and culture to life through authentic experiences via camp programming is our number one goal. At Camp Ideal and Gan Ideal, Jewish values are human values, and all are welcome here as we embrace our culture and spread kindness to one another.

So, here’s a big todah rabah—a huge thank you—to all the campers and families participating in this year’s summer camp program. And special thanks to Abbee LaPlace, Director of Camp Ideal, and Mina Cowen, Director of Gan Ideal, and their hard-working counselors. We cannot wait to see everyone again next season and during our special winter camp session this December.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley

Shalom Chaverim—Hello Friends,

As we mark our Annual Meeting this evening, no words will hold back the tears. We carry unbearable pain these last weeks and months since Hamas invaded Israel, killing 1,200 people, taking hostages, and triggering a traumatic war in Gaza with horrific loss of lives.

If something that can give us hope and strength it might be this: My sister Martha lives in Israel. She’s a videographer. She interviewed this man, a fireman from Kibbutz Kissufim (pictured below).

His only child, a daughter, was murdered on October 7 with her husband. His message: Kadima! Kadima! Kadima!

KADIMA is the Hebrew word for FORWARD. We must go FORWARD!

I’m Moshe Kruger, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation. The theme of my remarks this Evening of Impact is KADIMA.

Kadima: In prayer.
Kadima: In love.
Kadima: In hope.
Kadima: In community.
Kadima: In action—with vision, grit, and determination.

My focus tonight is two-fold. I’ll begin with a brief Year in Review. And then we’ll turn our attention to South Bend’s Jewish future —where do we go from here?

From the beginning, nothing about the miracle of Jewish history has been easy, from the journey out of Egypt to the founding of modern-day Israel.

After Oct 7, it seems all that we do as Jews and being Jewish is more challenging, complicated, and stressful.

Israel is experiencing a nationwide trauma. The Jewish Diaspora, like the rest of the world, is reeling from the extremity of violence in Israel and Gaza. And here at home, we’re grappling with how to build and sustain a community.

For all of us who believe Israel has a right to exist, we feel called at this moment to support the people of Israel as they recover from the shocking attack by Hamas just eight months ago—an unprovoked war that has unleashed a tsunami of anti-Israel hate, global isolation, and mounting outrage.

And for all of us who believe we cannot recycle yesterday’s solutions to sustain Jewish life today, we are called at this moment to engage in bold community planning, question assumptions, and produce ideas that inspire.

Producing inspirational ideas, this is what we do at the Fed. We are an enterprise tasked with KADIMA. The success of our journey demands forward motion.

So, here we are in our 79th year—the Federation remains a vital resource for Jewish life, and I can report with confidence the Fed had a good year moving toward this objective.

Our Year-in-Review makes a compelling case. Team morale is high. Motivation is high. In short, we are a team deeply passionate about our mission to connect people to Jewish life.

We continue to raise the bar in youth programming, whether it’s Camp Ideal’s record enrollment, our new and improved PJ Library children’s programs, the family-oriented Sunday Fundays, or the holiday programs.

Our Holocaust Education programming continues to engage scores of area middle and high school students while expanding the work of the Federation beyond its four walls.

In addition, our adult programming including Date Night, Film Fest, Art Exhibits, NEXTGen, Forever Learning, CRC, and Yom events are opening doors to community engagement with renewed depth, vibrancy, and relevance, all while delivering incremental gains in program revenue.

Our community can also be proud of the emergency humanitarian funds we raised for Israel. Together, the Federation system raised over $845 million, which supports the life-saving work of more than 450 organizations such as our core partners at The Jewish Agency for Israel and JDC.

Here at home, the sacred work that Jewish Family Services performs to ensure the health and well-being of our community remains a central pillar of the Federation.

Our monthly newsletter, weekly email updates, and special features such as “The Missing Context” are packed with timely information, designed to connect you with everything Jewish.

My Year-in-Review concludes with a groundskeeping and building report. The Campus grounds have never looked better. I’ve been at the Fed for 3½ years, and the drive up the forested s-curve Shalom Way to the building still feels both enchanting and very magical.

And speaking of the building; new improvements inside the community center are creating a buzz of excitement. See for yourself. During the reception that follows, you’re all invited to tour the new universal kitchenette and Ideal conference room.

Highlighting these two new initiatives offers a good transition to springboard to the year ahead and beyond. As we approach our 80th anniversary in 2025, our little Fed has reinvented itself time and time again to strengthen Jewish life in Michiana, Israel, and around the world.

When it comes to sustaining our Jewish community in the 21st century, there is a pervasive sense that the rules of the game are changing.

In Jewish communal life today, we see an urgent need to move forward beyond the ideas, beliefs, and institutions that were central building blocks of our Jewish American experience in the 20th century.

In my concluding remarks at the last annual meeting, I said: “We can’t take our future for granted. We’ll be judged, as every generation is, not so much by what we’ve accomplished in the past but by the foundations we lay for an even brighter future.”

To realize this brighter future, the Federation undertook a thought process to rethink, reimagine, and where relevant, reinvigorate and reclaim Jewish life in South Bend.

The vitality of a Jewish South Bend is encapsulated with possibilities and opportunities to reimagine our institutions, rethink the idea of community, and construct new avenues of personal connection.

This is why I’m delighted the Federation has joined Sinai and Temple in forming a Community Task Force. The two congregations have agreed to share one building with a preference to locate this building on the Federation’s campus.

In my conversations with community members about our community’s future, one idea that is sparking interest is to build a South Bend Campus for Jewish Life. The new Campus would house the Federation and the new shared facility for Sinai and Temple.

When fully developed, the Campus enterprise will be an oasis of learning, prayer, and respectful exchange, an incubator for arts and ideas, a space to celebrate, engage in Jewish life, and intertwine with the broader Jewish world.

In addition, this shared Campus offers potential streamlining efficiencies for staffing and business operations and would have a positive effect on our collective financial health.

Moreover, what if we created a Campus that transcends denominational boundaries? And what if we married this unorthodox idea to another novel ideal of having one Jewish community membership, rather than multiple memberships?

At first blush, these sound like provocative and uncomfortable ideas. But as mentioned earlier, yesterday’s solutions are ill-suited for today’s challenges. We all know that small Jewish Communities that fail to act while there is time to course-correct and take action will suffer the all too well-known consequences.

So, in the spirit of those who love to create lists, here are the top three issues the Fed will address in 2024:

1. Work with our community partners to explore the benefits of creating a Campus for Jewish Life as we develop a consensus approach to creating community.

2. Collaborate with the Community Task Force leadership team to strategically map the consensus approach and align talent and organizational resources around the most important community-building initiatives.

3. Accelerate time to impact by establishing a sense of urgency and mobilize influencers and neighbors to communicate the change vision and generate short-term gains to reinvigorate the process and produce more change.

Our community will learn that we are only strong when we are united.

Something deep and tribal has touched us since October 7. The massacre of that fateful day, followed by months of anti-Israel and antisemitic rage, has triggered among many Jews a sense of being under siege, a feeling that it’s us against the world.

This “us” is our Jewish lifeline. It augurs a reconnection with Jewish peoplehood, community, and our uniquely dramatic story.

This story continues in South Bend. With the support of my professional staff and the newly elected Federation board and officers:

• We believe in our community.

• We believe in Israel.

• We believe in peace.

• We believe in compassion.

• We believe we are all God’s children.

• And we hold in our hearts empathy and mourning for Israelis and Palestinians.

October 7th taught us two important lessons. First, what affects Israel, and the Jewish world, affects each of us deeply. Second, we care about each other even more than we know.

Before wrapping up, I want to acknowledge the support of my wife, Karen Richman. Without her love and understanding, I simply would not have the strength to do this job.

Right behind Karen, I’ve had the vital support of board president Alon Shemesh, the board of directors, the annual campaign committee, and many community members. You fill me with gratitude. Thank you.

And I want to welcome the new slate coming in under the leadership of Cristyne Porile. I look forward to working with you in the spirit of KADIMA.

Thanks again for attending our Annual Meeting. Thank you for caring about the future of our community. And thank you for your generosity to our annual campaign. Your support is vital and fuels our mission: Kadima. Kadima. Kadima!

May God remember all those who have been taken from us.

May the All-present have mercy upon our people in captivity and bring them forth from darkness into light.

And may the One who makes peace in the heavens, make peace for us, and Israel, and the world. And let us say Amen.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
Jewish Federation of St. Joseph Valley

As I write this Minute with Moshe just days before Pesach, Spring is in the air! All around our beautiful campus, we are experiencing the bloom of Spring and can feel the hum of new life.

Tradition tells us that we must “guard the springtime” (Deuteronomy 16:1) and that the month of Nisan, during which we celebrate Passover, must always embody springtime. This is why the Jewish calendar has a system of leap years, to ensure that Passover always coincides with the celebration of Spring. 

Yet, let’s look beyond the command to synchronize the lunar and solar calendars. This instruction to “guard” the Spring is undoubtedly a strange admonition. Indeed, the seasons have their own life; they come and go without human assistance or intervention.

The Sages would have us understand that there is an internal springtime in addition to the external Spring of buds and flowers. The inner springtime is that tender place in our hearts where we nurture hope and find the courage to take the necessary risks inherent in every project of renewal.

The inner springtime requires careful guarding and protection. Hope can easily slip away, the status quo can become entrenched, and our imaginations can wither. 

The Sages understood that we must carefully guard and protect our capacity to hope and dream. This is the Hasidic understanding of “guard the springtime.”

Working with my professional staff, board, and community partners, I have great faith in our collective power to guard the South Bend Jewish community’s inner springtime. Our actions embody the hopes and dreams of our inner springtime, which include the historic conversation Sinai and Temple are undertaking to explore their shared future.

Collaborative community planning requires commitment and hard work. I know the effort we put into the change process correlates to “healthy bud growth and stronger bloom production” of our inner springtime. 

The full bloom of our community planning investment ultimately will be in our ability to shape and define our community’s vision to grow and thrive. To this end, the community is coming together to establish an urgently needed framework for developing our sustainable futures.

For the last 79 years, the Fed has toiled to create a rich tapestry of Jewish life, but our work is far from complete. As we approach our 80th anniversary in 2025, the Federation feels energized by the hopes and dreams of our inner springtime. The Jewish people have always been “One people with one heart.” 

May our hearts continue to beat as one, and may we go from strength to strength in fulfilling our sacred responsibility to contribute to the mosaic of Judaism and Jewish life in South Bend.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
574-233-1164 x1802
MKruger@TheJewishFed.org

As a thought exercise, I want to take a moment to unpack and reflect on some of the meanings of “collaborate” with some help from the prestigious Academy of the Hebrew Language in Jerusalem.

According to the Academy, “collaborative” should be translated as shitufit. The root Sh-T-F has multiple expressions. Shutafut is a partnership. Le’hishtatef is to participate. A “common denominator” is known in Hebrew as a mechaneh meshutaf.

This semantic field is rich in values of great importance to building a shared future for the Jewish community in South Bend, especially at this momentous time.

A new sense of what’s possible is in the air as Sinai and Temple collaborate in an historic exploration of the best path forward for both congregations. Congregational meetings are underway to share their progress. The planning and collaboration between Sinai and Temple will set new cornerstones shaping the contours of our Jewish future for years to come.

Unfortunately, there are no set formulas for planning our collective future. We cannot rely on an all-powerful algorithm to chart our path forward. However, we can hold fast to shared core values—participation and partnership—and seek out what we share while honoring our diversity.

I can confidently say that working together and intentionally building our Jewish future, from a Federation perspective, animates the professional staff. Only by working together through a collective vision and shared values can we unlock the power of community and become a force for progress.

The cogency of the collective is why the Federation supports the highly participatory community planning work that Sinai and Temple are doing. We embrace a future predicated on innovative community development, effective partnerships, and good stewardship to achieve impact and sustainability.

The Federation’s North Star, for almost 80 years (we’ll celebrate our 80th anniversary in 2025), is a healthy, flourishing local Jewish community. To this end, a future scenario that consistently bubbles up in my conversations with community members is a campus for Jewish life. This campus concept of developing a Center for Jewish Life gives us infinite possibilities to create Jewish engagement for people of all ages, beliefs, and backgrounds.

A community platform revolving around a campus-type concept with an inclusive philosophy provides a rich tapestry to connect people to Jewish life on their terms. As a safe, welcoming, and meaningful cultural, intellectual, and spiritual home, the Center’s promise lives in its core identity to be:

A place for essential conversations and immersive Jewish experiences that enlighten and inspire.

A place to magnify Judaism’s impact on the world and here at home.

A place rooted in universal Jewish values and committed to serving our community today and the next generation.

Our collaboration is so essential. Many small Jewish communities across America are struggling. By coming together, we’ll navigate an ever-changing world and lead our community forward with a vision of implementing our bright Jewish future.

This is an exciting time in Jewish South Bend. It’s a time of discovery. It’s a time to be strategic, intentional, optimistic, and Jewish. It’s a time to be filled with gratitude, to exercise collaboration, and to make new connections—with the Federation and each other.

Moshe Kruger
Executive Director
574-233-1164 x1802
MKruger@TheJewishFed.org