Leslie Gordon’s 2021 Rosh Hashanah Message

At a time when we thought that we might be moving forward and looking at healthier days for all, we find that what we hoped for is not yet the case. Despite this setback, I wish to look at the inspiring, positive moments of the last 18 months as we prepare to welcome 5782. We learned that faster isn’t necessarily better – we can slow down and observe. We learned to treasure our traditions and appreciate that we can celebrate them even if we’re not in person in a shul. We learned that virtual isn’t always bad – because we found ourselves regularly “seeing” and talking with family and friends who we might not often visit. We achieved an acceptable substitute for in-person that maintained and broadened personal “friend” bases. I celebrated a friend’s 81st birthday online and got to see another friend’s daughter read Torah at her bat mitzvah. We found lots of ways to stay connected despite adversity! Yay us! The past 18 months and the still-challenging present have reinforced our sense of resiliency and togetherness.

This new, necessary way of connecting has also broadened the sense of community around the Breman Museum. This year the Breman celebrates 25 years. From artifacts stored in a closet and some recordings of oral histories in the old JCC, an actual museum was built on Spring Street that opened in 1996. Now we’ve learned to go beyond these walls and reach out to the region and the world through our virtual offerings. The Breman reached deep into the state of Georgia, and other states, through our online guided tour of the Holocaust Gallery, because the need for Holocaust education never stops. Our archivist Jeremy Katz authored a book on Jewish Atlanta using Breman archival materials. And in September we are opening a new exhibition, “History with Chutzpah,” featuring 72 stories from the Ida Pearle and Joseph Cuba Family archives that will bring local Jewish history to life. We even added a dedicated gallery for photography showcasing Jewish photographers and/or Jewish subject matter. We accomplished a lot despite the challenges.

We have much to contemplate, both bitter and sweet, as we welcome 5782. As we celebrate the birthday of the world, we will of course focus on reflection and repentance. But it’s important to remember that even when we are by ourselves, we are not alone. Shanah Tovah.

Leslie Gordon is the executive director of The William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum.