Shabbat shalom to all of you here in the sanctuary, and those streaming. 

Thank you to the KI community for having the trust and belief in me to serve in this very prestigious position at this pivotal time in our history as a people, the Jewish community at large, and KI. 

I’d like to start by thanking so many of you who have helped this night become a reality.

Thank you to my family! My wife Tracy and our son Joah. I am joined by them tonight. Also by my mom, my aunt, as well as my cousins. Thanks for being here on this special night. 

I would like to thank Andrew Altman, our immediate past president. 

Andrew… you’re not making it easy for me!! As I said last night at the congregational meeting, you are a tough act to follow! I will remember the 2 M’s! Money & mission. You approached this position with humility, openness, care, patience and dedication.  And, with an open heart AND mind. 

As president you have been inspirational to me and instrumental in my decision to say yes to this position. Your help during this transition-which is far from over- has made it much smoother. I look forward to working with you on the board, and with you and Lee as leaders of our 180 team. 

Janice Schwartz Donahue, you are an invaluable resource and guide for all things KI! Your strong sense of detail and dedication have helped sustain us through COVID which laid the foundation for our growth.

Brian Rissinger, our executive director. Thank you for making me look good! Not always easy. Knowing Brian is a text or call away to lean on for a seasoned perspective, is a comfort. It is something I do not take for granted, as we all know Brian is a huge asset to KI!

Thank you to Rabbi David! You are a calming influence, which is good for me. I look forward to working together to continue the ascent of our community. I am so excited you have extended your contract with us, and we will continue to grow together in the coming years. You are the right leader, at the right time for KI!

Cantor Amy! Thank you! If it weren’t for you, I would not be standing here tonight. As we have recalled together, you and Tracy were talking about the rabbi search committee and that conversation was the foundational piece that led me here. Thank you for that! You are an inspiration of positivity, which is infectious. You have transformed the kitchen into a foundational piece of KI in a short time. You are loved and appreciated by our community!

I spent the last couple months meeting with past presidents. I have learned so much from all of you, and I appreciate you all taking the time to help me in this important transition.

In addition to Andrew and Janice, thank you to past presidents, Peter Soloff, Dick Weiss, Evonne Kruger, Norma and Arnold Meshkov, Carey Roseman, and Karen Sirota.

Special shoutout to Karen who chaired the rabbi search committee with Janice. She has been a mentor for me. Thank you Karen for all you have done for KI and our community. And thank you for your interest and dedication to building the leadership pipeline at KI. 

I can’t forget Bob Seltzer. Bob, we are so lucky you joined the team to assist with the 180, and general KI growth. You are a seasoned, caring veteran of the synagogue/non-profit world and your perspective and input has already been keenly felt. We appreciate your insights, and we are thrilled to be working alongside you.

Thank you to the caring office staff and the whole lay led team.  All of you made my decision to accept this important role easier.

There are SO many great things here at KI for us to be proud and aware of:

Our thriving preschool!  We are literally at capacity! The Temple Judea Museum, and our partners, the Holocaust Awareness Museum, Congregations of Shaare Shamayim, KleinLife, an active adult center and the Tide Academy school, to name a few. And of course, all of you. It’s all of you who make KI what it is… a welcoming place. 

Looking ahead to my first year, there are a ton of incredible things happening.

Of course, KI is turning 180!! Unbelievable! It is a tribute to our community, to all of the past and present clergy, KI members and their families. Together, we are the foundation that is KI.

We will celebrate this milestone in 2027. There is so much positive energy around this event. Our 180 programming and festivities will prove to be one of the most important benchmarks of my tenure. Additionally, in my first year, I plan to work on a new website and EKI, and continuing to make important building renovations to improve our facility. 

We are happy to announce that Andrew Altman and Lee Chudzinski are our co- chairs of the 180 committee… thank you‼️ We are so honored that you are taking on this historic moment in the KI story. 

Plus, Andrew, it’s apt that you are transitioning into a role that will give you way less to do.

The 180 committee is honored that the following people have volunteered to lead this initiative. They are working to continue to solidify the future of KI, and I wanted to acknowledge them tonight. 

180 KI Co-Chairs: Andrew Altman and Leon Chudzinski

Fundraising Co-Chairs: Arnold & Norma Meshkov; Carey & Robert Roseman

Celebration Co-Chairs: Karen & Rob Sirota; Denise & Peter Soloff

Launch Event Co-Chairs: Donna Keller & Liz Kaufman Taylor

Archive Research Co-Chairs: Evonne & Isaak Kruger; Jack & Laurie Myers

Timeline Co-Chairs: Leon Chudzinski and Evonne Kruger and Jack Myers

Service Days Co-Chairs: Janice Schwartz Donahue & Joe Donahue

Historic Marker: Janice Schwartz Donahue

Additional chairs: Andrew Taylor, Stefan Keller & Isaak Kruger

KI 180 Leadership Team: Brian Rissinger, Rabbi Benjamin David, Cantor Amy Levy, & Bob Seltzer

Thank you all.

I’m honored that I get to work with a caring, dedicated board of directors and trustees who are supporting all of our efforts to strengthen our community every day. 

My fellow officers on the board of directors, Liz Kaufman Taylor and Alan Barbell. Their focus will be on facilities, communication, and engagement. I am lucky to have such a strong, experienced duo in Liz and Alan.

Our other officers are Andrew Taylor our treasurer, along with Rob Zaslow associate treasurer, and our incoming secretary, Katie Milgrim. Andrew and Rob have done an incredible job presenting complicated financial information in a visual, digestible way. I look forward to working with Katie in her new role.

Thank you to them, and the whole board of directors and trustees as we continue to help fuel our growth.

I think the question I got asked the most in the months leading up to tonight, was… what made you decide to do this? 

We all need our why‼️ 

My answer is three fold. 

First, it’s the times we live in. 

In my lifetime, I’ve never witnessed anything even close to the level of antisemitism that we are seeing on a local, national, and international scale. It’s not new…. in my view it has merely become more permissible. Given this climate, coupled with the misinformation machine that can be the internet, we are seeing jarring incidents against our people.

It’s in times like these where it is best to dig in, to reconnect to the values we hold close, to reinvest in what is real, and what is tangible.  

We know we are Jewish, whether born into it or by choice. Even though we may have different views about current events, Israel, and how to navigate our current landscape, the answer is that we return to each other, our community, to KI.

Second, we have been living through the metamorphosis of the Old York Road corridor. The past 25 years have seen colossal change. Concurrently, we are experiencing the vitiation of our Jewish values and traditions in our community. These are REAL challenges, but in these challenges, there are opportunities!

Which leads me to the third most important, WHY?

The answer is all of you!!!  This community… Some days, the news outside may not be rosy, but we find comfort inside these walls of KI. This is a place people want to be a part of. A destination on the Old York Road corridor that is regenerating, not on its backfoot; quite the opposite. We are growing. We are thriving!!  

I’m excited to be part of an organization that’s looking for new ways every day, to reinvent itself.  It’s an honor to work in a community that wants to dig in and do the necessary work. We are creating a template for growth every day! 

I relish the opportunity to work with all of you. Anything that I can do, I would love to hear from you.  Let’s continue to be there for each other, to rely on our existing relationships, and build new connections to each other. Along with our Jewish traditions it’s the KI way. These components are the DNA of KI; and what makes us a unique and special place.

Thank you and Shabbat Shalom!

Ryan Perlman, KI President