KI is all about engagement. Here, we engage with Torah. We engage with Israel. We engage with our past. We engage with hard questions. We engage once and again with each other. These days, there’s a lot with which to engage. Our world is frequently shifting beneath our feet, then shifting again. KI remains, as always, a place of refuge and safe haven. Not only are we engaging with all of the above, but we are doing so in an environment that feels nurturing and supportive. KI is indeed a place for us to learn, grow, challenge and be challenged and – together – to navigate the complex realities of Jewish life in 2026.

With all of this said, I am so thrilled that we have a new team member on the professional staff here at KI. Elyse Herman has agreed to become our Director of Engagement and we could not be more excited. Elyse is smart, thoughtful and…. engaging! A proud wife to Brett and mom to Zoey and Jack, Elyse and her family have been part of the fabric of our community for years.

As we begin a new book of the Torah this week, I am thrilled for this new chapter for our congregation. KI is growing and evolving in ways that are real. We are meeting the moment, together, with innovation and intention. We have a brimming pre-school, an active religious school, programs and classes for every age group. We have affinity groups that create community within our broader community. Our building is packed each day with activities, visitors and loaded with meaningful moments. Elyse is going to work to make sure that, amid all of this excitement, we all feel connected, included and loved. She will help recruit and welcome new synagogue members, ensure that we all know about and are connecting to the best elements of KI and continue to strengthen our bonds to each other. 

Please join me in welcoming Elyse to this new, exciting role. May we all go from strength to strength. 

Here are some of Elyse’s own words about this wonderful new beginning.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Benjamin P. David