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January 2019 KoREH News

Building Connections in the Age of the New

It is incredible to think that 2019 is already here. Recently, I have dwelled at length on all of the new things that have been popping up in the world around us. We are just beginning a new secular year and about to start the new Hebrew month of Sh’vat. We have just started a new book in the Torah, Sefer Shemot (The Book of Numbers).

In fact, it seems like new is the new normal. Seth Godin, a brilliant thinker, author, and entrepreneur, beautifully describes both the culture of newness we live in and also an incredible way of thriving in it:

“Do more people trust you and pay attention to you today than six months ago, and what are you going to do between today and six months from now, that is going to radically change the number of people, and how deeply they pay attention and trust you?…

Tony Hsieh [the CEO of Zappos] built a billion dollar shoe store, and he did it one bit of trust a time. No fancy buildings. No authority. Just one person who trusted him and told another person."

As human beings, we are hard-wired to take stock of our lives during moments of transition, when there is a marked change in the world around us. That can be a change in the weather or the calendar, a life transition, or maybe just a moment of calm in an otherwise hectic schedule. But how many of us really ask ourselves how we are relating to others, and how we are building up those relationships and moving them forward?

Here at Kol Rinah, I am proud of the way we build relationships together. It is wonderful to see people who stepped into our doors for whatever reason and then decided to call this place their spiritual home. I am humbled by the dedication of our leaders and volunteers who give so much back to our community.

And there is more to do. Reach out to someone new, renew bonds with people who you may already know, and welcome someone who hasn’t gotten to know us into our Kol Rinah family, and I know this can be our best year yet. I cannot wait to see what 2019 holds in store for us.
Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784