By Sara Klein Wagner
Sara Klein Wagner, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Louisville and the Trager Family JCC (Photo by Robyn Kaufman)
On Monday, June 23, we gathered for the 16th Annual Meeting of our combined Federation and Trager Family JCC. It was a wonderful evening celebrating and hearing from our award winners. Sixteen years marks the time when two legacy organizations came together to inaugurate a new era, an era built on foundations of work done by generations that came before. So when I prepared my remarks for the evening, I could not stop thinking about the marking of time.
As Jews, we are refreshed and renewed annually by the Jewish calendar and the seasons that mark our festivals. As a Jewish organization, our Annual Meeting provides an opportunity to reflect on the past year as we look ahead. While these milestones are substantial and have meaning, there are other measures of time that I cannot shake: 626 days of war, 10-minute warnings that missiles are coming, 90 seconds to get to a mamud or shelter. We cannot stop time and we do not get do-overs, but we can reflect on where we have been and where we want to be.
Our purpose for the coming year is clear and revolves around three parts: the global Jewish people, Jewish Louisville, and you. First, Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh, meaning all of Israel are responsible for each other. This is why our people, throughout Jewish history, create support and organize for the betterment of the whole. The Jewish Federation movement was founded in the 1890s, to ensure that when a Jewish person is in need we will be there. We support organizations that do just that — including JDC (the Joint Distribution Committee), our Partnership with Israel, and JAFI – the Jewish Agency for Israel. We support rescue, relief, and Jewish community building around the globe.
Second, Jewish Louisville is our community, our home, and our responsibility. We have a long tradition of strong organizations and congregations that support and lift up their members. As for us, the Trager Family JCC has become a hub for Jewish gathering and experiences, and we could not be prouder. The role we provide as a Federation is not always the first thing one sees but is part of the fabric we all count on, from communication to security to philanthropy and advocacy. We stand proud as an important component of our Louisville Jewish ecosystem just as other organizations meet spiritual, educational, and social service needs. We remain flexible to meet evolving challenges. Participation in our Louisville Jewish community has always embraced a sense of shared destiny, demonstrated in our obligation to care for all members of that community, as well as in the joy of Jewish engagement.
Lastly, YOU are our purpose and the reason we exist. You are the participant, the member, the guest, the volunteer, the student, the client, the donor, and more. You are the story makers and the storytellers, and when you join in, you bring more joy to others. Every minute of every day, we aspire to add meaning to your life as we partner with you on your Jewish journey.
There will be more days, hours and minutes ahead that will bring degrees of uncertainty and hurt around the Jewish world — and we will navigate them together. There will be times we agree and moments we will not. There will also continue to be milestones to mark, individually and collectively, our happiness and joy.
On a personal note, I am humbled to mark my 10th year in the role of CEO. These years have passed quickly, and I feel so fortunate to be able to continue to serve my own Jewish constituency. It truly is a labor of love, and I look forward to marking many more moments with you, in partnership with all Jewish Louisville and alongside our Jewish community across the globe.
Sara Klein Wagner is President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Louisville and the Trager Family JCC.