Leaders

May 4, 2025

B’nai Zion Congregation Annual Meeting – President’s Report

Larry Evensky, President
Theme: “Rooted in Tradition. Reaching Toward Renewal.”

Shalom and good afternoon.

Thank you all for being here today. As I reflect on this past year as your president, I keep returning to one image: a tree.

A tree is only as strong as its roots. And the roots of B’nai Zion run deep—through generations of families, through the strength of our traditions, and through the resilience of our community. But trees don’t just hold fast. They also grow. They adapt. And with the right care, they bloom again—even after seasons of challenge.

This has been a year of strengthening our roots and beginning to bloom anew.

Spiritual Leadership

At the heart of our community is Rabbi Jana, whose wisdom, compassion, and tireless efforts nourish us like steady rainfall. Her guidance—through services, teaching, and personal support—continues to nurture our spirit and our mission. We are deeply grateful for the way she leads us, always grounded in tradition but with an open heart for the future. 

In memory of Jana’s mother, Sheila Lawrence, of blessed memory, who always embraced new members, we will establish the Sheila Lawrence Fund which will be used to welcome new and prospective members to the congregation. 

Worship and Programming

The branches of our community grow because of the people who give their time and love to keep things flourishing.

To Perry and Marla Hyman, and Jodi Hutto, thank you for all you do in keeping us fed and supporting our services by  keeping our social hall in line for all the events we have. You help make this place feel alive and welcoming.

To Ross Hutto, thank you for all you do with house and grounds; especially for stepping up to the plate when we have an emergency like we did a few weeks ago. We had a huge tree fall hours before services and you rallied a team together to get everything in working order.

To Max DeBenedetti, thank you for your presence and contributions—your energy gives us hope for what the next generation is already bringing to Jewish life.

To our devoted Board of Directors, thank you for helping guide the course of our congregation. I want to give special thanks to:

• Ricky Murov, our treasurer, for his steady and thoughtful stewardship of our finances;
• Karen Warren, our vice president, for her quiet strength and support, and especially for her dedication in grant work; 
• And Sam Silverblatt, our past president, for continuing to offer wisdom and experience beyond his term.

As a token of our appreciation, trees will be planted in Israel in your honor. Just as these trees will take root and thrive, so too will your work continue to support the future of B’nai Zion.

Facilities and Finance

One of the most special milestones this year was completing the Torah we began working on many years ago. This wasn’t just a project—it was a communal journey. Families wrote letters with the scribes, leaving their own mark on our sacred scroll. Now, it lives in our ark as a living testament to what we can create together.

Looking Ahead

As we turn to the next chapter, our focus is both practical and purposeful.

We have infrastructure goals: updating our lighting, improving our technology, and upgrading our security camera systems. These are necessary investments in making our physical space safer and more functional—branches we need to keep healthy.

But just as important is rekindling participation—the community spirit that makes this congregation more than just a building. We’re calling on each of you to help us bring back the small things that make a big difference:

• Serving as ushers,
• Helping build the Sukkah,
• Offering Shabbat blessings,
• And stepping into roles that remind us what it means to gather, to contribute, and to show up.

Think of it like planting seeds. These acts of involvement are how we nurture new growth in a post-COVID world. If each of us does a little, we can create something beautiful—something rooted in tradition, but blooming again with new life.

Closing

Serving as your president has been a true honor. I’m proud of what we’ve done this year, and more than that—I’m hopeful about what’s to come.

Thank you for being part of this community. Thank you for your support, your trust, and your belief in what B’nai Zion is and what it can become.

Like the trees being planted in your honor, may we all continue to grow—deeply rooted, lovingly tended, and reaching always toward the light.

L’shalom,
Larry Evensky