Dear Friends,

Most of us have our regular seats in shul. Most of us have familiar faces we naturally gravitate toward after services. There is comfort in seeing friends and sharing conversations with people we know well. Yet there is another reality that exists alongside this one.

There are people who attend week after week, year after year, and still do not feel fully connected. They are not newcomers. They are not visitors. They are part of our community. Yet they may find themselves standing alone, sitting alone, or wondering whether anyone notices their absence when they are not there.

This is not usually the result of unkindness. More often, it is the result of habit. We sit where we always sit. We speak with those we always speak with. We gather with the same circles we have known for years. As a community, we can do better. Perhaps this week we can make room for one more person at our table in shul or at the kiddish. Introduce one congregant to another. Begin one conversation with someone outside our usual circle. Small acts can have a lasting impact.

The goal is simple: that every person who walks into our shuls feel acknowledged, valued, and that they truly belong here.