By Erin Casper

Recently, I’ve spent a lot of time looking back on all the Jewish Buffalo experiences that made me who I am today. There wasn’t one transformative moment that connected me to Jewish life. Instead, that connection grew over time because, again and again, there was somewhere to belong. There were people who welcomed me, opportunities to learn, friendships that grew, traditions to celebrate and a community that molded my Jewish identity.  

I’m incredibly grateful for that. Jewish Buffalo has been part of my life for as long as I can remember, but I don’t think I always understood how much all of those seemingly ordinary moments were shaping me. Now, I get to see this community from a different perspective – as someone raising my own family here and as someone whose work is centered around helping Jewish Buffalo grow and flourish. 

That has made me think differently about what it means to be rooted in community. For me, those roots were formed slowly – through camp, Hebrew school, BBYO, friendships, holidays, family, and later, through Well Circle and PJ Library. These programs helped me find my way back to Jewish life as an adult. They were strengthened by people who showed up, by places where I knew I belonged, and by a community that was there at so many of the moments that shaped my life. 

In the book of Job we read, “There is hope for a tree; if it is cut down it will renew itself; its shoots will not cease. If its roots are old in the earth, And its stump dies in the ground, At the scent of water it will bud and produce branches like a sapling.” (Job 14:7-9).  

To me, the thought of roots remaining beneath the surface, ready to nourish new growth makes me think of our Jewish community. Sometimes it is at the center of our lives and sometimes we drift farther away, but the relationships, traditions, memories and values we build together can remain with us, something to return to when we need connection, meaning or simply a place to belong. 

Our roots may sustain us, but they also ask something of us. We strengthen them through the choices we make: by caring for one another, welcoming someone in, giving generously, creating opportunities for Jewish life and making room for joy. 

That is what philanthropy means to me at its best. It is one of the ways we help carry forward something we believe is worth sustaining. It allows the community that has held so many of us to be there for the person who is just finding their way in or finding their way back. 

As we enter 5787, my hope is that all of us find moments in the year ahead to experience the joy, connection and sense of belonging that make Jewish Buffalo so special. 

In just a few days, we will gather for our Campaign Kickoff Event around the theme “Rooted in Joy, Connected in Community.” I can’t think of a more meaningful way to begin a new year than by celebrating the community we have built together and thinking about what, with strong roots and shared responsibility, we can help grow next. 

L’Shanah Tovah U’Metukah. 

Erin Casper is the Director of Development for the Buffalo Jewish Federation. Look for her on stage at Kickoff on September 23.