We are in the midst of an exciting season filled with big programs and big transitions that are yielding big, positive impact for our community!

In 2023, you told us that you expect the Indianapolis Jewish Federation to take more leadership in our community and to carry us all into the future. We hear you and are striving to do exactly that. But, of course, we cannot and should not do it alone. So, we partner with our outstanding Jewish agencies and institutions to lift us all to new heights.

I am very excited to work with all the new executive professional colleagues across our city including Rachel Katz at Jewish Family Services, Sam Dubrinsky at the Jewish Community Center, David Sklar at the Jewish Community Relations Council, and Lori Halperin at Hasten Hebrew Academy. We carefully nurture these critical partnerships and value the strength that results from them.

On behalf of us all, we offer our most sincere gratitude to Lori Moss, who is retiring after 40 years of Jewish communal service to Indianapolis. Since I first walked in the door, Lori has been more than a colleague. As she has for so many others, Lori has been my friend, mentor and confidant. I know you join me in wishing her well as she takes on new responsibilities with her family. (Read more on page 18.)

As I finish my third year with the Jewish Federation, we continue to reestablish ourselves in the Federation’s traditional roles of convening our community together, planning for our future, and providing both the direction and resources to get us there.

This year, we have brought the community together in so many meaningful ways from Hamantaschen tastings to major donor dinners, from cooking demonstrations to community holiday observances. Our programming in the second half of the year has been extraordinary. It has included a Legacy community celebration, a Women Philanthropy program with a social media influencer, and an October 7 remembrance program and more. We are also proud of the big programs that are not just put on by the Federation, such as the Ann Katz Festival of Books and Arts, the BJ Novak program, and even small but mighty touchpoints such as when Congregation B’nai Torah brought in a Kosher meat truck – all of this is done so that we can thrive together as a flourishing and diverse Jewish community. None of this can happen without your support.

I am also so proud of the way our community has stepped up financially. After 15 years of incremental growth, it truly feels like we have turned a corner – with increased and new gifts, and newly engaged people across all walks of life. Big ideas often require big support. If you haven’t made your gift, there’s still time. If you want to talk about your gift, please reach out to me. I am happy to meet with you personally and tell you about all the things happening across this community and how you can get involved. Thank you for everything you do!